Early Years Journal
Volume 3 Number 1 | 2014 Australian Childcare Alliance
R e p r e s e n t i n g t h e f u t u r e o f A u s t r a l i a ’s c h i l d r e n
Creating cultural awareness IN YOUR CENTRE
School
readiness:
through a
contemporary lens
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2012 winners, left to right: Louise Simpson representing Buninyong Preschool, and Amy Douglas.
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contents General News
Occupational health + safety
President’s report 3
Dressing for success in childcare 45
State round-up 4
A sample policy from the Professional Support Coordinator Alliance for dress code in childcare.
ACECQA reaches significant milestones 10 The very best quality of early education and care for all Australian children 14
Child health + safety
Education + training
Which activities help children develop their fine motor skills?
Common childcare issues 16 Don’t make the same mistakes again and again in your centre.
School readiness through a contemporary lens 18 A fresh look at the conversation.
Inclusive programming 24 How can we ensure that children of all abilities are able to participate?
Educational resources, programs + planning Creating cultural awareness in your centre 28 Make the right cultural connections in your centre.
Children have a jolly time learning 32 Cuddles Childcare Centres reveal why Western Australian parents and teachers are so impressed with Jolly Phonics.
Practical tips for culturally inclusive early years learning 33
Motoring along 50
Finance, business + property Social media in the childcare sector – tips, tricks and downright ‘don’ts’ 53 The bricks and mortar of childcare investment 56 The growing interest in property investment in the childcare sector.
Small business smarts for New South Wales 60 New services are just what the doctor ordered for New South Wales childcare centres.
The new face of childcare : a look at the future of the industry. 65 Preparing for the end of the financial year and beyond 69 How do you ensure that you are best placed to save money?
How to integrate inclusivity with the everyday workings of the classroom.
Human resources management
Children’s Protection Society: Early Years Education Project 38
How to build a positive culture of encouragement and praise.
How can educators best cater to at-risk children?
Nutrition + menu planning Tuna patties 44 A delicious, healthy way to serve fish for lunch.
Go forth and motivate 75
Play areas + sustainable practice Little Green Steps – our journey 77 What started as a small sustainability program is now being adopted in centres across the country.
Edited by: Sophie Allan
Cover image: istockphoto.com
Designed by: Alma McHugh
The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of the text of contributions contained in this publication or for the consequences of any use made of the products, and the information referred to in this publication. The editor, publisher, printer and their staff and agents expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from any errors or omissions contained in this publication, whether caused to a purchaser of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in the articles and other material published herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor and publisher or their staff or agents. The responsibility for the accuracy of information is that of the individual contributors and neither the publisher nor editors can accept responsibility for the accuracy of information that is supplied by others. It is impossible for the publisher and editors to ensure that the advertisements and other material herein comply with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). Readers should make their own inquiries in making any decisions and, where necessary, seek professional advice.
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2 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
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President’s report
T
he Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) has submitted a substantial review to the Productivity Commission (PC) on the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector, which can be viewed on the PC website under ‘Submissions’. We support government’s desire to improve the ECEC sector, and to address the needs of Australian families, who rely heavily on a quality, affordable, accessible and sustainable environment in which children will thrive, learn and be safe. Research has proven that support for this important cohort of young Australians will reap enormous rewards – economic, familial, social – for our country now and in the future. ACA trusts that the information gathered through the submissions of ECEC sector stakeholders will inform the PC of the most advantageous way to build a sustainable ECEC environment, while ensuring the needs of children will remain foremost. Female participation, particularly that of mothers with young children, in the workforce is recognised and valued. We understand the challenges of families juggling their work-life balance, combined with the concern that their children are receiving high-quality ECEC programs. It is vital that quality outcomes for children are achieved, as we know these children are better equipped to handle the demands of formal education, into their teens and beyond, than those without access to quality programs. ACA shares the government’s concern for children from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds. We believe these children must be given every opportunity to participate in early learning and care programs to assist them to commence school as confident little learners.
The Australian Government has stated reforms to the funding model must remain within the existing allocation. ACA calls for government to reassess this position and inject the further funds needed so families are no longer under the stress of measuring their workforce participation against the already eroded ECEC subsidies. We are concerned that if measures and safeguards are not employed immediately to address affordability, these families will be priced out of quality early learning programs altogether. While ACA cannot determine a more cost-efficient model of subsidies and funding, we agree that the discussion must commence, and all stakeholders must be open to ideas and proposals; however, we believe that whatever funding model is determined, no family should be worse off, and the model must be sustainable. ACA strongly supports a formal, regulated and quality-assessed sector. Our member concerns with the current Assessment and Rating (A&R) system are expressed in our submission. The A&R system is not efficient, nor is it providing stakeholders and community with true and accurate outcomes of the quality provision of ECEC across the sectors. In our submission, ACA includes an alternative model of A&R we believe will engage educators more comprehensively while ensuring high-quality outcomes for children are achieved. ACA has concerns that an informal sector is being considered under this review. We believe taxpayerfunded programs that do not provide educational content and personal and social development leading towards transition to formal schooling, would undermine the NQF. Qualified educators working in the approved, regulated sector will feel undermined and undervalued should less-qualified staff be approved to provide ECEC services.
Every child is valuable, and ACA, our members and families attending our services provided information for our submission, with the value of the child the foremost consideration. ACA also commissioned Urban Economics to examine the costs for families using ECEC services.
We welcome any feedback you may have on our submission, and we now await the PC’s draft report, due to be released mid-year.
High-quality early learning services underpin the workforce. ACA supports the COAG National Quality Framework (NQF) reforms and continues to encourage the sector to provide superior care through these reforms. The deep and ongoing concern of childcare providers is the parent’s ability to maintain workforce participation while meeting the increased costs resulting from the reforms. We do not believe families can afford additional cost due to the reforms, as families already struggle with the rising cost of living.
Email: President@australianchildcarealliance.org.au
Gwynn Bridge President Australian Childcare Alliance
Australian Childcare Alliance
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State round-up
I
n late November last year, the Child Care Centres Association of Victoria (CCCAV) held our AGM and elected our executive committee for 2013/2014 as follows:
Executive Committee • President: Paul Mondo, Bimbi Day Care and Airport Day Nursery • Vice-President: Lucian Roncon, First Steps Child Care Centre • Treasurer: Steven Creelman, Dot2Dot ELC.
Ordinary Members • Jenny Kearney, Dudley St Childcare & Kindergarten, and Sutherland St Childcare & Kindergarten • Sharon Smith, Cranbourne Day Care & Kindergarten • Suzanne El-Katateny, Grow to Learn. We congratulate them all and extend our thanks to Jan Hamilton (formerly Nurture One), who resigned from the committee at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Between them, the committee members have a wealth of experience in the sector, and a passionate desire to foster the interests not only of our members, but also of the families to whom all of our members provide one of the most important services of all. As all of the committee members have at least one year’s service, we are confident that they will work strongly and cohesively to provide the best possible services for our members in the coming year. Together with CCCAV management and staff, the committee is working on several exciting initiatives, as well as planning for our 2014 Early Years Conference and Exhibition, which, by the time this article goes to print, will be well on the way to being promoted. With a view to improving the experience of the conference for all delegates and suppliers, we are planning significant changes to the feel of the event, which will be held over two days in late October or early November. If you would like to receive conference updates, please email us at philippa@cccav.org.au with the words ‘Conference subscription’ as the subject.
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You would all be well aware of the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Childcare and Early Childhood Learning. Initial submissions were due on Monday 3 February, with the Commission’s draft report due in early July. There will then be public hearings, with the final report to be delivered by 31 October. Late last year, CCCAV sought feedback from members on the numerous matters raised in the Issues Paper released by the Commission in early December. We then compiled, collated and added to this feedback to craft a submission to the inquiry, which was lodged in good time. CCCAV representatives will, if given the opportunity, appear before the Commission during the period of public hearings. Our submission can be accessed on our website. As we have worked closely with our Regulatory Authority – the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development – on promoting the benefits of running a kindergarten program, not least of which is state government funding, we are pleased to be able to share the news that Victoria’s kindergarten participation rate has hit a record high. Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell says that the total number of kindergarten enrolments has grown to 72,941 in 2013. This represents participation rates of 98.2 per cent, up from 97.9 per cent in 2012. ‘I’m pleased to see that since the Coalition Government was elected, kindergarten participation rates have increased by 3.1 per cent,’ Ms Lovell says. ‘These results are a credit to early years services across Victoria – and their dedicated staff – as well as Victorian parents who are increasingly becoming more aware of the very real benefits that a high-quality kindergarten program can bring.’ We look forward to continuing to work with you and for you in 2014.
Frank Cusmano Chief Executive Officer Child Care Centres Association of Victoria, Inc Suite 6, 539 Highett Road, Highett VIC 3190 T: (03) 9532 2017 | F: (03) 9532 3336 E: info@cccav.org.au | www.cccav.org.au
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We may only be a matter of weeks into the new year, but we have hit the ground running here at Child Care New South Wales! Planning is in full swing for the 2014 Early Years Exhibition and Conference, which will be held at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney, on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 March 2014. We are delighted to have such strong interest in the event, in no small part owing to the extraordinary line-up of speakers, workshops and exhibitors confirmed this year. With topics ranging from speech development and sustainability to antibullying legislation, we are confident that the event will be invaluable to owners and educators alike. We look forward to sharing photographs and stories from the Expo and Conference in the next edition of Belonging Early Years Journal. We have been working closely with our state counterparts and our national body, the Australian Childcare Alliance, to ensure that our sector has a strong say in the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Child Care and Early Childhood Learning. Consistent with our commitment to evidence-based policy, we have worked hard to ensure that our submission, and that of our national body, is supported by case studies, literature, research and recent, credible industry data. With two separate senate inquiries into aspects of early childhood education and care taking place at the same time as the Productivity Commission Inquiry, we have an unprecedented opportunity for positive change for children, families, educators, services and the broader economy. With more and more services now having experienced their first assessment and rating visit under the National Quality Standards, certain patterns are emerging – both positive and negative. While we are pleased to hear our members report that the assessment and rating visit is a generally positive experience, we share their frustration when
As anticipated, Childcare Queensland (CQ) is experiencing a very busy start to 2014, as the sector contemplates several significant inquiries and proceedings that have the potential to impact our future.
the draft report does not necessarily reflect this positive experience, or does not accurately reflect specific aspects of the service’s performance against the standards. A number of members have kept us in the loop, as they have responded to their draft reports and/or navigated the complex appeals process. Pleasingly, a number of members have been successful in having their overall rating, or individual rating, positively amended; however, it does highlight flaws in the system, which we are continuing to raise with the New South Wales Early Childhood Directorate, as well as the federal government. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with the Federal Assistant Minister for Education, the Hon. Sussan Ley; New South Wales Premier, the Hon. Barry O’Farrell; and New South Wales Education Minister, the Hon. Adrian Piccoli late last year, and have personally raised our concerns and suggested solutions on this issue – and others. With 1 January 2014 heralding new qualification requirements, as well as changes to immunisation requirements for approved providers in New South Wales, our staff has been fielding dozens of member calls each and every week. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated team committed to excellence in early childhood education and care. Lastly, a reminder about our social media presence. If you have not yet liked our Facebook page (facebook.com/ChildCareNSW) or followed us on Twitter (@childcarensw), now is the time to do so! If you have no idea what Facebook and Twitter are, why not come along to our Expo? We have not one, but two workshops on social media, so there’s no time like the present to jump on board! We hope to see you there.
Brianna Casey Executive Officer Child Care New South Wales PO Box 660, Parramatta NSW 2124 T: 1300 556 330 F: 1300 557 228 E: info@childcarensw.com.au www.childcarensw.com.au
@ChildCareNSW Child Care New South Wales
A meeting of Approved Providers was held on Monday 20 January to discuss our submission to the Productivity Commission, Early Years Quality Fund and the Equal Remuneration Order currently before the Fair Work Commission. We want to thank all Approved Providers who participated in the discussion, highlighting their concerns and ideas for the future regarding quality, viability and regulatory burden. A key aspect of 2014 will be the review of the National Quality Framework. It is anticipated that the
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terms of reference for the review will be released in February, and we will consult with members on the details of our submission. Our first set of member meetings for 2014 will start on Monday 10 March on the Sunshine Coast. A full calendar of events has been released for 2014, and can be found in the summer Early Edition Magazine, or on our website. This is to assist members, particularly those in regional and rural Queensland, to plan and schedule attendance in advance. The next installment of the Kindergarten Advisory Support Services (KASS) Workshop Series has been launched, and will be held throughout Queensland, commencing in Cairns on 22 March. Workshop Series 3 – Creating order from the chaos in a playbased enviornment will cover topics that build upon feedback provided from participants in Workshop Series 2 (For more information, visit www.kass.net.au/ events/workshops). We would like to acknowledge the almost 600 dedicated educators who honed their programming and documentation skills by attending the Series 2 Workshops.
In addition, CQ will be hosting two additional Approved Provider Workshops to focus on skills development in specific operational aspects (23 April and 15 October). More details on these events will be released in coming months. The 2014 Childcare Queensland National Conference will be held at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast on 25–27 July 2014. Our Conference Committee is building a comprehensive and energetic program based on our theme: ‘People, Purpose and Passion’. It is anticipated that early-bird bookings will open in early February. On behalf of the Committee, we wish each and every member a very successful 2014, and, as always, should members require assistance they should contact the CQ Office on (07) 3808 2366 anytime.
James Blake General Manager Childcare Queensland PO Box 137, Springwood QLD 4127 T: 1300 365 325 (if outside Brisbane) T: (07) 3808 2366 Web: www.childcareqld.org.au
Childcare Queensland We greatly fear the next step in the NQS rollout in January 2016, when the ratio for two-year-olds to threeyear-olds goes from 1:10 to 1:5 in South Australia. This will drive up the daily cost of care for this age group by at least $15 per day per child, and the impact on parent affordability will be dramatic. The National Quality Standard (NQS) Legislation rolled out another milestone on 1 January 2014, with the staffing requirements that all educators must have a minimum of Certificate III, 50 per cent of educators must have a diploma, and each childcare centre must employ an early childhood teacher (ECT) who is registered with the Teachers Registration Board of South Australia. Many centres report that they are struggling to fulfil the ECT requirements, and those that have often find that ECTs who are inexperienced in childcare are struggling to fit in to the additional requirements of childcare and provide the alleged boost in quality envisaged in the NQF. In country and regional centres, the new staffing requirement is unattainable for many, as the qualified staff are not available. Meanwhile, the cost of childcare for parents is again impacted by the NQS without additional government funding support. In South Australia, the government also chose this moment, when Certificate III has become mandatory, to cancel its financial support for Certificate III training.
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Childcare SA is involved in a government-sponsored review of the NQS, along with other representative bodies, and has submitted reports on 25 red tape and assessment and rating concerns, with recommended changes. A follow-up meeting with the state government departments charged with the review will follow shortly. We have also met with the Education Minister at a roundtable review and voiced some of these concerns, and received universal support from other industry representatives. We have made an appointment to meet with the State Opposition later in January to share our concerns. There is a state election in March 2014, and childcare issues, including parent affordability, will be a major issue for both parties. The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA), with which Childcare SA is fully affiliated, is preparing a submission to the Productivity Commission, which is conducting a major investigation into childcare and early childhood learning. ACA is expending a lot of time and resources on preparing our submission to this vital review. In preparing our report, among other
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documents, we have studied the 2013 IBIS Report on the childcare industry. This is a much-respected group, and its report contains dire concerns for the industry’s future, driven by current low levels of profitability, lack of access to economies of scale, the cost hikes enshrined in the NQS, and the drive by the union for higher wages. Parents can’t afford these cost hikes, and many will reduce or cancel their childcare, and reduce their workforce participation. In addition, Childcare SA, with the help of the ACA, is defending the national equal remuneration order case in Fair Work Australia. While we all support appropriate and sensible wage increases for staff that parents can afford, the submission by United Voice to Fair Work fails all tests of affordability, and would unquestionably decimate the childcare industry if granted. We support the federal government’s decision to use the unallocated Early Years Quality Fund to provide a major training thrust into the childcare industry, and are currently working on some recommendations for further consideration. In 2013, we made a commitment to support our members with information, training and ideas in the area of sustainability. We have profiled services that have been engaging in recycling, animal welfare, revegetation projects, displays, resource and facility upgrades. We have linked members with
environmentally based suppliers and are continuing this work into 2014. Along with monthly sustainability information that will also continue in 2014, members have found this a very valuable service. Our commitment to those in managerial roles within our centres saw three very successful Hub meetings held. Topics and speakers ranged from the Registration and Standards Board, Area 7 Leadership and Management, managing staffing issues and grievances, as well as profiling Montessori resources and centres’ sustainability programs. The Hubs are already planned for 2014, including a visit to one of our country services. Feedback from staff has indicated that a significant network has begun to develop among the staff as they contact each other regularly, visit each other’s services, and support each other through the many areas and complexities that their roles require. We look forward to continuing to provide our members with support and advocacy throughout 2014.
Kerry Mahony President Childcare SA PO Box 406 Hindmarsh, SA 5007 T: 0407 580 645 E: info@childcaresa.com.au www.childcaresa.com.au
• Education Review Office (ERO) hired the expertise of an industrial relations firm that has represented and will continue to represent ACCA members before the commission. CAWA is also liaising with the Western Australia Chamber of Commerce and Industry on this matter Welcome to 2014. I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year. The past 12 months and the start of 2014 have been quite significant for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. Childcare Association of Western Australia (CAWA) and the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) have been working hard and passionately to represent the best interests of our members, educators and families. Here’s a little of what has been going on:
Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) and Childcare Association of Western Australia (CAWA) quick round-up of 2013/14 • Early Years Quality Fund (EYQF) – submissions, rally, lobbying to make this fund fair and equitable to all educators
• submitted documents to Assistant Minister Ley on the assessment and rating process, and the redtape issues raised by members (these documents are available for CAWA members on the website in the members’ area) • submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Childcare and Early Childhood Learning (submission available to members on the CAWA website in the members’ area) • pre-budget submission • lobby day federally • CAWA continues to meet with the Education and Care Regulatory Unit (ECRU) and Minister Simpson on a regular basis • fortnightly teleconferences with Australian
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Childcare Alliance (ACA) • quarterly face-to-face meetings with ACA • monthly committee meetings with CAWA. There is much more that is being done on a daily basis nationally and locally with ACA and CAWA. We encourage our members to have a voice, and to contact the CAWA office if they have any issues or concerns that need to be addressed.
Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood changes to the national regulations At its 29 November 2013 meeting, the Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood (SCSEEC) endorsed some changes to the Education and Care Services National Regulations. All the amendments need to be drafted and approved. As Western Australia implemented its own corresponding legislation, including the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012 Western Australia, the amendments for Western Australia will be drafted and approved separately. These changes relate to a range of operational matters, including: • supervisor certificates • probationary periods for new educators • short-term replacement of absent educators • clarification of the meaning of actively working towards a qualification • excursions • parental access • fencing and safety-glass requirements at centres • first-aid requirements on school sites. Some other amendments specific to individual jurisdictions will also be progressed. Western Australia will extend for a further 12 months its transitional arrangement for centre-based services’ ratios over the lunch period, and clarify the requirements for a Western Australian service caring for preschool-aged children to receive an ‘Exceeding’ rating.
Assessment and rating workshops in March A Potential Way Forward Go to the CAWA members’ area for more information.
Maggie Dent 18 and 19 March 2014: CAWA, in partnership with Childcare Training and Accreditation Services (CTAS), will host two workshops with Maggie Dent in March; CAWA and CTAS members will get first option to book at a much-reduced price.
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Book in quick, as these tickets will sell out. • Tuesday 18 March – Dare to Be Exceptional: For Early Years Professionals • Wednesday 19 March – Real Kids in an Unreal World: Building resilience and self esteem in today’s children. Catering provided. See the website childcarewa.com/cawa-events for further details. CAWA and CTAS members $30.00 | Non-members $65.00
NQS Workshop Regulatory and National Quality Standard (NQS) fullday workshop for owners and frontline managers. Proudly supported by Guild Insurance. • Assessment and Rating – Lead Assessor • Risk management • Educational Program and Practice – (TBA) • Physical Environment and Sustainability – Jenni Magenta • Leadership and Team Building – Chris Barrett • Panel of ECRU for owners/managers to ask questions – ECRU. This workshop is fully catered – morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are provided. See the website childcarewa.com/cawa-events for further details. Only limited places now available. CAWA members $60.00 | Non-members $120.00.
Rachelle Tucker Executive Officer Childcare Association of WA Inc PO Box 196, South Perth WA 6951 T: 1300 062 645 | M: 0433 498 147 E: info@childcarewa.com www.childcarewa.com
X • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 2 NUMBER 4 • 2013
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ACECQA reaches significant milestones
N
ow in its third year of operation, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has reached some important milestones in recent months, including launching new online tools, creating a new role at ACECQA for a National Education Leader to drive national quality, and awarding Australia’s first ‘Excellent’ rated services in Australia.
New online ratings chart launches A new ratings chart to help services visually explain their service ratings is now available on the ACECQA website. The ratings chart shows whether a service is ‘Working towards’, ‘Meeting’ or ‘Exceeding’ in each of the seven National Quality Standard (NQS) areas. All services that have been assessed and rated, and have achieved an overall rating of ‘Working towards’ NQS or above, now have a ratings chart added to their service ratings on the National Registers. Although the ratings chart does not replace a ratings certificate, it can be used in addition to the certificate to help services display to families how they have been rated against the NQS. Services are able to download the ratings chart from the ACECQA website and display it at their centres, or link to the chart in their electronic newsletters or other communications with parents. There is space on the chart for services to write in what their Quality Improvement Plans will focus on to further improve quality. Services may also choose to display the ratings chart with examples surrounding it.
New online qualification list now available Two other new online tools are now available to help educators, providers and educational institutions apply for assessment of their qualifications, and search for approved qualifications. A searchable qualification list on the ACECQA website now incorporates all of ACECQA’s approved educator qualification lists into one.
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The searchable list allows users to search by qualification level, suitability, date awarded, where the qualification applies, and general keyword search. This online search tool was created so that all qualification information can be found in the one place, making it easier for educators or providers looking for information about approved qualifications. The list contains all approved Certificate III, diploma, early childhood teaching, first-aid, emergency asthma and anaphylaxis qualifications for educators working in the Australian education and care sector. In addition to this searchable list, a new online application form is now available for educators who are seeking to have their qualifications assessed to allow them to work as qualified educators in Australia. The new online application form can be downloaded from the ACECQA website.
New role to lead national quality Following a nationwide search for candidates for the newly created position of National Education Leader, ACECQA has appointed Rhonda Livingstone to this important new role from January 2014. As ACECQA’s National Education Leader, Rhonda will provide national leadership, policy advice and recommendations on pedagogy, and educational programs and practice to further enhance the learning and development of children attending education and care services. Rhonda has more than 20 years’ experience in the children’s education and care sector, including working as a centre director, sessional academic and policy director. She has helped shape national policy outcomes and implementation, managed legislation and funding programs, coordinated professional development and training programs, and was part of a number of working groups to develop standards and resources for the National Quality Framework. As ACECQA’s National Education Leader, Rhonda will draw on evidence-based research and work collaboratively with peak organisations, government departments, families, the education and care
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sector, and other interested stakeholders to influence and promote innovation, and to further quality improvement in children’s education and care.
First ‘Excellent’ rated services awarded in Australia Another exciting and important milestone recently achieved within the sector was the awarding of the first ‘Excellent’ rated services in Australia. Six education and care services have now been awarded the ‘Excellent’ rating: three in South Australia, one in New South Wales and two in Queensland. One of these services, Karana Early Education Centre, is a privately owned and operated children’s education and care service, located in Karana Downs, Queensland, that caters for up to 63 children. The ‘Excellent’ rating is the highest rating a service can achieve under the National Quality Framework. Trisha Dean, Karana Early Education Centre Director, says that the ‘Excellent’ rating was something that the centre had always aspired to, and that it has been an amazing journey and the culmination of years of service in their community. ‘We are on a constant journey of improving our practices, and are always looking at where we are going next; but to have this rating awarded has allowed us to stop and look at what a special and amazing place we are creating for our children and their families,’ she says. ‘Now we just keep doing what we have always aimed to do: give each child at our service the best possible experience each and every day. ‘Many people from the community and surrounds come in because they have heard about our rating and reputation, and our educators have been motivated and inspired to go higher and higher.’ Ms Dean says that the benefits of receiving the ‘Excellent’ rating were for the children – because they are at the centre of what they do. ‘We read, research, go to professional development, reflect, change, discuss, and we ask: “What can we do to support children’s learning and development? What is the best thing for them?” We then find a way to make that happen,’ she says. ‘Our children are valued for who they are, recognising their strengths and individuality, and our environments reflect our philosophies and the values we hold for children. We do this regardless of our rating; that just sort of comes as a result of what we do.’
The ‘Excellent’ rating recognises providers who are champions of quality improvement and who are really raising the bar on what quality education and care looks like for Australian children. Trisha attended ACECQA’s Excellence Tour in Western Australia in late 2013 to share Karana’s story with conference delegates in Perth and Kalgoorlie. In winning the award, the service demonstrated excellence in the areas of: • commitment to children that respects, reflects and celebrates culture and diversity, including place of origin • inclusive partnerships with children and families • sustained commitment to professional development and support of educators • practice and environments that enhance children’s learning and growth. The professional development and ongoing learning for educators is exceptional at Karana, and not only are educators supported to undertake a variety of learning opportunities, but the service also ensures that what is learnt results in positive changes. The service’s action research model has resulted in the delivery of the highest quality of education and care, and improves outcomes for children. The service’s outdoor space is filled with natural elements that engage children and provoke them to use their imaginations and understand their responsibilities to care for the natural environment. Karana has demonstrated that it plans environments thoughtfully and in consultation with children and families, and empowers children to take ownership of their environments. Culture and diversity is respected, reflected and celebrated at Karana. To apply for the ‘Excellent’ rating, providers must complete the application form and demonstrate how their service meets the identified criteria. The application form and information about the ‘Excellent’ rating can be found on the ACECQA website. For further information please visit ACECQA’s website at www.acecqa.gov.au, or contact ACECQA on 1300 422 327 or email enquiries@acecqa.gov.au. You can stay up-to-date with ACECQA’s progress through their blog, website, by subscribing to their newsletter, or by following ACECQA on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 11
Invested in play. We’ve researched the role of play in children’s development in the largest ever study of its kind. At IKEA, we believe kids are the most important people in the world. That’s why we’ve interviewed 8,000 grown ups and 3,000 little ones about child development and play across the world and compiled the findings in the Playreport: A project initiated by IKEA®. We think it makes for very interesting reading, and it seems our product designers agree!
You also know that movement is important for kids, and the Playreport agrees. There’s a bunch of IKEA products that encourage spinning, swinging and rocking – all helping kids to develop their perception and coordination skills as well as to gather and organise their sensory impressions.
Keeping things kid-friendly. We’ve utilised the findings of the Playreport and collaborated with the world’s leading children’s experts throughout the product development process to continue our commitment to designing products that are functional, safe and supportive of children’s development. This means you have our word that we, just like you, will always put the well being of our little ones first.
The findings. So what were the outtakes from the Playreport? Firstly, it reinforced what we have all noticed: kids love pretending they’re all grown up. That’s why we have a whole range of products that encourage role-play. Not only do kids love them, but it also means kids can interact with friends, practise real-life social skills and work on developing their ability to share, empathise and work in a team.
SVÄVA swing 92cm $79
Finally, we learnt to never underestimate the power of art. The Playreport confirmed that drawing and painting is a great way for kids to express their emotions in a more thoughtful way and for learning how to shut out surrounding distractions, a vital skill for their later life. Like all great artists, your lot will need great art supplies to create their masterpieces. Look no further than the MÅLA range. It includes watercolours in the brightest of colours, pens that won’t dry out if the cap is left off and paint brushes designed specifically for tiny hands. It’s also reasonably priced and, like all of our products, we have lots in stock so it’s easy for you to order in bulk or restock whenever you need to. MÅLA paper $9.99 A3 & A4 quality paper in three blocks. MÅLA paint $8.99/8pk Mixing tray and colour chart included. MÅLA watercolour box $9.99. 14 tablets in different colours, tray, 2 water cups & 2 brushes. MÅLA stamp pen $6.99/6pk. 6 different symbols. For more info go to IKEA.com.au/children
DUKTIG mini kitchen $199
We’ll bring IKEA to your childcare centre. We understand that working in childcare means your days can be hectic and that sometimes you feel like you need an extra pair of hands – that’s where IKEA BUSINESS is your perfect partner. IKEA BUSINESS is a free service designed to help you find solutions to all your childcare requirements. Your membership includes your own dedicated IKEA BUSINESS leader to help you manage your requirements – everything from replenishing your craft supplies to suggesting kid-friendly furniture. You can even order over the phone and arrange for the products to be delivered to your door, so you never have to take your eyes off the little ones.
Sign up to IKEA BUSINESS at IKEA.com.au/BUSINESS Sign up before 30 April 2014 and your childcare centre will receive a complimentary MÅLA pack valued at over $20*.
© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 2014 Source: Playreport: A project initiated by IKEA in 2010. *One complimentary pack valued at over $20 will be given to all IKEA BUSINESS members that register within the Education and Childcare industry and email IKEABUSINESS.marketing.AU@IKEA.com to claim your MÅLA pack. Pack includes: MÅLA felt-tip pen assorted colours, MÅLA watercolour box assorted colours and MÅLA paper assorted colours. Offer is subject to change due to stock availability only valid in NSW, QLD and VIC.
general news
The very best quality of early education and care for all Australian children FOLLOWING ON FROM VOLUME 2, NUMBER 4 OF BELONGING, WHICH INCLUDED COMMENT FROM THE HON. SUSSAN LEY MP, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, FOR THIS EDITION WE HAVE SOUGHT COMMENT FROM THE HON. KATE ELLIS MP, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR ADELAIDE, SHADOW MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD.
We have made many strides forward over recent years, including the rolling out of the National Quality Framework, recognising the professionalism of our educators, and increasing the Child Care Rebate from 30 to 50 per cent of families’ out-of-pocket costs so that more children can access early childhood education services. Allowing the rebate to be paid directly to services on a fortnightly basis has improved affordability for families, and the cash flow for providers.
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arly childhood education and care services are vital to Australia as they educate our children in the most crucial years of their development and allow parents to return to work. Late last year, the Abbott Government launched a Productivity Commission Review into Child Care and Early Childhood learning, to be completed by October 2014. I share the concern of many service providers about the need for a timely review and rapid response by the government to reduce the current instability and uncertainty that such an inquiry creates, and I have raised this directly with the Productivity Commission. Uncertainty can be crippling. When future policy is unknown, investment in new services can stagnate, making it even harder for parents to access the services that they need. I am firmly of the view that a sensible option would be to redirect some of the $22-billion paid parental leave scheme to more affordable, flexible and quality
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I am firmly of the view that a sensible option would be to redirect some of the $22-billion paid parental leave scheme to more affordable, flexible and quality childcare services childcare services. Such additional government investment in the sector would provide certainty and act as an incentive for greater private investment. Because without child care, Australia stops.
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An app a day… Amid the uncertainty, the cuts have already started. The government cancelled a $450-million program, removing thousands of before- and after-school places this year. The $5-million Accessibility Fund designed to get councils and government working together to increase places across the nation has also been scrapped, and now legislation to cap the childcare rebate is going through parliament. Those in the childcare sector know that quality care comes in many shapes and sizes. It is a myth that you cannot have increased flexibility without undermining quality. I’m concerned about the divide emerging in the sector, and the uncertainty about what services will be cut to fund nannies as the government pursues this review. Because the truth is, if you want flexible care in your home, you can get it right now through family day care. When meeting with the Productivity Commission, I emphasised the importance of improving the Special Child Care Benefit, and encouraged funding certainty for specialist Indigenous services, and those for children with disability. All children benefit greatly from quality early childhood education and care, but none more so than children with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. I hope that through this process, we can all stand together and advocate for great support and access for the children who need it most. It is essential that this review looks at the needs of those who most desperately need early childhood education and care, not just those who shout the loudest. One thing is certain, and that is the need to ensure the very best quality of early education and care for all Australian children. There is always room for improvement, and there is still more to be done to continue the work started by the Labor Government to improve the accessibility and flexibility of childcare. I look forward to continuing my work with you to recognise our professional educators and provide the practical support that services need to attract and retain staff, reduce waiting lists and make sure we continue on our journey to provide the best possible care.
Maths Monkey’s Quest Developed by NSW Department of Education and Communities www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/about/mobileapplications/maths-monkey-s-quest Maths Monkey’s Quest features maths questions on topics ranging from addition and subtraction, to ratios and percentages. It is aimed at children from years three to eight. Answer questions by shooting the correct answer to keep the bananas safe. Add bananas to unlock new levels that feature more difficult questions. The goal is to earn the highest score while you keep the worm away from your bananas!
Click! Clack! Developed by VicRoads www.vic.gov.au/social-media/mobile-apps/click-clack. html Click! Clack! is a storybook produced by VicRoads and School Drug and Education and Road Aware, and written by Danny Katz with illustrations by Mitch Vane. The book teaches children about road safety through an adventurous narrative, and now the story is coming to life with sounds, narration, games and animations in an app. This app is suitable for children aged four to eight, and is fun and educational, too.
Street Sounds Developed by VicRoads www.vic.gov.au/social-media/mobile-apps/streetsounds.html Also written by Danny Katz and illustrated by Mitch Vane is the VicRoads and School Drug Education and Road Aware produced title, That’s the Sound the Street Makes. This book ‘follows the story of Ella on her journey to school with her sniffling dad as she reminds him how to be a responsible and safe pedestrian’. The app allows you to read along with the story, teaching children valuable lessons about road safety while keeping them entertained with beautiful watercolour illustrations. Find more road safety education information and resources at vicroads.vic.gov.au.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 15
education + training
Common childcare issues BY MEGAN SHARMAN
Childcare centre consultant Megan Sharman has seen the same mistakes being made again and again throughout her on-site visits. Read her advice and see how your centre measures up.
document from parents; just a conversation with them will give you plenty of insight into the child’s interests, favourite things and habits. You can use all this information to build a profile of the child and learn how best to program for them.
n my 16 years working in the childcare sector, I’ve found there are a few common issues that can arise in any service. Even the most efficient centres can still lack direction, clarity or positivity in some areas. Perhaps you can relate to some of these common issues and benefit from some advice to get through them.
QIPs were introduced as part of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in 2009, and are designed to help providers self-assess their performance, as well as assist the regulatory body with their assessments. Often a QIP is developed and written by one or two people in a centre, but all educators are expected to deliver outcomes. If the QIP is not communicated to all staff, there can be problems when carrying out the plan.
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Issue: educators who over-think programming Granted, curriculum is a very important aspect of an educator’s work with young children, but often we can get bogged down trying too hard to make it the best it can be. We can get caught up in theories, waste time with words and lose sight of the central character – the child.
Solution Meaningful programming is about knowing the child well and knowing how best to represent that child in your documentation. Educators should be well informed about the theory of documentation, but not let that theory dominate their output. We need to be eager to take contributions and input from all educators and families. You don’t need a written
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Issue: a lack of understanding about the Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)
Solution As quality service providers, we should all be critically reflective of our own practices to ensure that we are always delivering the best quality care. When we do reflect, we will find that all educators in the workplace will have ideas and comments to contribute to the QIP. I admit that it may be unrealistic to expect every educator to know every single QIP area that you’re working on, so it makes sense to focus on one area at a time. Educational leaders need to create regular meetings with the coordinator and room leaders, and make sure the area of focus is discussed in detail so that everyone understands the message and expected outcomes.
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When a QIP is developed with input from all educators, especially those on the floor, it becomes a more meaningful document. After all, the educators on the floor are the ones implementing the plan, and they are the ones who will be questioned by the assessor.
Issue: educators need better training to manage challenging behaviour I would suggest that every provider can recall a child who has displayed challenging behaviour, and can still remember the impacts that behaviour had on the educators. Challenging behaviour can cause big disruptions within a room, a team and a service, and it’s vital that educators have quality training and support available to help them through difficult times. Often, training in this area doesn’t get to the heart of the problem or give real and practical solutions to help educators manage the issue.
Solution Quality training on behaviour guidance should empower and inform educators with enough confidence to go back into the room and implement behaviour guidance techniques. We need to talk indepth about the behaviour, implications on the child, staff and families, and find real solutions to improving that behaviour. Critical reflection also comes into play on this topic; I believe we need to critically reflect on our own practices and not fall back on the easy assumption that it is the child’s fault. We must take some responsibility for improving the situation, and this can happen with open communication and great support from management, colleagues and families.
Issue: there is a chronic lack of goodquality staff In my time recruiting and interviewing people for roles in childcare, I am often disappointed with how their performance on the floor does not measure up to their resumés. I have found that while they have a piece of paper that declares that they are qualified, they don’t necessarily understand or cannot implement the connection between theory and practice. If we cannot rely on their qualifications to help produce a quality educator, then we will have a big problem trusting in their abilities.
important that employers ask these questions, as there can be a very wide ‘pass’ range. When we talk to our diploma students, we teach them about theorists, underpinning knowledge on the development of children; understanding the framework as well as leadership; and managing teams. We do this because all these issues are integral to working at a diploma level in children’s services, and we know that services want educators who can boast all of these qualities. At my consulting firm, we make detailed observations of each student, and ensure that they can put theory into practice in the workplace.
Issue: room leaders are not always taught how to lead Often an educator is promoted to a room leader because they have shown particular qualities, such as initiative or great programming skills. But if they are not educated on how to be a leader, it can be the cause of conflict and disharmony.
Solution From the outset, it is the director’s responsibility to recognise the right people for the right leadership positions. Once identified, we need to invest in leadership training to ensure they are equipped to take on the responsibilities of room leader. We need to give them clear guidelines and expectations on the role, and they should then be given the opportunity to lead their team. Obviously, we need to continually support them and show trust and confidence in their ability. We need to consider room for error, keeping communication lines open, two-way feedback, and a formal appraisal process. Ultimately, we are all here to achieve the same goal – to learn from and educate children. We should seek out professional development opportunities for management and employee teams to best fulfill our role as the children’s voice. Upskilling is one of the best ways we can raise the bar on the quality of childcare educators. This way, we can provide unparalleled care and education to our youngest generation. Megan Sharman is the Director and Trainer at Childcare Management Systems Australia. www.cmstraining.com.au
Solution A reputable training organisation should be able to explain to an employer exactly how they educate their diploma students to put theory into practice, and how they support their students through the process. It’s
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 17
education + training
School readiness through a contemporary lens BY KATARZYNA WIECZOREK-GHISSO
For many early childhood educators, ‘school readiness’ is one of those reluctant conversations that is often had with parents during their child’s orientation to child care. While these conversations provide wonderful opportunities to showcase the abundant experiences in which children engage as part of the daily childcare program, we can’t help but feel deflated when the parents’ response is, ‘Yes, but how do you get my child ready for school?’
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nfortunate as it is, there appears to be a firm perception by many parents that a determinant of readiness is their child’s knowledge of the ‘ABCs and 123s’. Despite our best efforts to convince parents that ‘readiness’ is about more than literacy and numeracy skills, things get lost in translation, and we end up finding ourselves resorting back to photocopying stencils and buying into resources that support letter drill activities. This article aims to unpack the notion of ‘readiness’ 18 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
through a contemporary lens, and explores positive strategies to embrace what should otherwise be a very rewarding process. Historically, the term ‘school readiness’ has been used in reference to children’s preparedness for formal education, with the belief that up until then, children are merely ‘playing’. Assessed by their ability to engage with content across subject areas such as mathematics and English, it was perceived that, for children, learning officially began when they commenced ‘big school’. In Australia, this transition still typically happens between four and seven years of age, depending on each state, as it is understood that being mature enough to embark on formal education happens during this period. Despite traditional beliefs, school readiness is not about being able to read, write or count by a certain age; such learning begins at birth and becomes more advanced as children progress in their education, which may or may not be when they start school. Thankfully, research over the years has helped to shape our current understanding that in order to succeed in any context, school included, children need firstly to feel a strong sense of belonging and self-worth. Other dispositions, such as persistence,
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sociability and independence, are also considered to be important attributes, which all contribute to school success. The introduction of the National Quality Standards (NQS) in 2011 has brought about opportunities to review our thinking and put into practice what recent research has revealed about the importance of a meaningful process to school preparation, and not just for children. Supporting documents such as the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) clearly communicate that school readiness is a time of ‘transition’, a continuum not unlike any other movement or change; an opportunity for children and their families to explore new routines, new resources and new relationships. Transitions can also be points of vulnerability and setback if understandings about readiness are in conflict across contexts; therefore, careful consideration about the participation of relevant stakeholders is required. Early childcare educators’ biggest hurdle is being willing to advocate for new approaches with more conviction, and help to shape new understandings about the process, starting with our biggest critics: parents.
Myth 1: Transition is about children getting to know how their schools work. Reality: Transition is a long and complex process during which children internalise the process of leaving their previous setting and establish their identity in a new setting.
Myth 2: Transition involves a series of school visits. Reality: School visits provide a short-term orientation to school, but effective transition takes time and builds on a child’s sense of belonging.
Myth 3: Transition is about children making adjustments to school. Reality: Successful transition depends on the school being able to adjust and respond to children.
Myth 4: Organising transition is the school’s responsibility. Reality: Planning for transition is a collaboration between many stakeholders, including schools, prior-to-school settings and families.
Myth 5: Everyone experiences transition in the same way. Reality: Transition is unique to each child; one size does not fit all.
Myth 6: Transitions involve the teaching of rules, expectations and school routines. Reality: Children bring ways of belonging, being and becoming from their home settings. Educators help them build on these to support participation and learning in the school setting.
Myth 7: Transition activities get children ready for school. Reality: Educators build on children’s prior learning and connect previous and new learning in ways that are meaningful for children.
Myth 8: Transition for parents consists of a school tour and meeting with the lead teacher. Reality: Leaders and educators across contexts build an inclusive culture with processes that respond to the diversity of the community and include families as partners in transition. Adapted from: www.decd.sa.gov.au/ transitiontoschool
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 19
education + training
A starting point is challenging the traditional myths often associated with school readiness (see box on previous page) and becoming better versed about what happens in reality. UNICEF recently explored the notion of school readiness conceptually, and determined three dimensions that yield more positive results when operating in tandem: ready children, ready schools and ready families. Ready children are enthusiastic and confident about embarking on new experiences independently. Ready schools are those willing to bridge the gap between early childhood contexts and provide an environment where practices are consistent and philosophy complementary. Ready families have positive attitudes about prior learning, are vocal advocates who are actively involved in the transition process, and make decisions about schooling based on a deep understanding of their children. This article aims to explore a fourth dimension,‘ready educators’, as it is perceived that the key to a successful transition is understanding the nature of the curriculum’s complexities across each setting. In reality, children can be immersed in a program that promotes autonomy and fosters agency, and, within a few weeks, can move into a context where explicit syllabi outcomes across key learning areas are implemented, removing the autonomy and agency previously fostered. It’s no wonder that there are so many associated anxieties with school transition. It therefore stands to reason that educators from each context should know more about what the others do; however, there seems to be a lack of understanding about what curriculums stipulate, or the processes that support
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children’s learning. If we look at the achievement outcomes across Australian Curriculum Standards and compare them to the outcomes in the EYLF, it is clear how the learning developed in prior-toschool contexts prepares children to engage with the school curriculum. It thus makes sense to look at ways to use the structures of school curriculum and build them into curriculum experiences in the priorto-school context. This needn’t be a complicated process, but rather a meaningful experience that offers further professional growth for the educator. As a starting point, it is important to build familiarity about the school curriculum and begin to make connections between EYLF and K-6 Syllabus outcomes. Intentionally implementing experiences that draw from both curriculum documents will not only prepare children for the types of experiences that they will engage in at school, but it will also go a long way to answering the question:‘What do you do to prepare my child for school?’ There are endless possibilities to such an approach, and when implemented in a meaningful way, they offer more opportunities than complexities to progress the child’s learning from the prior-to-school to school environment. Embracing such new ways of thinking is the key to a successful journey for all concerned. Katarzyna Wieczorek-Ghisso, B Teach (EC), B.Ed (EC), M. Ed, is an early childhood specialist and university lecturer. She is the director of Early Childhood Consultancy Network. For more information, visit www.earlychildhoodconsultancynetwork.vpweb. com.au
‘what would happen if your salary stopped?’ The great news is that Child Care Super offers great value life insurance and income protection at some of the most competitive rates in the market. We’ve also got options to suit early learning owners, directors and workers. While many other funds are increasing their insurance premiums, we’ve been able to provide our members with even more cover for the same low cost per unit.
It’s easy to check how much cover you need and to join, simply contact us today. 1800 060 215
childcaresuper.com.au/insurance
Some differences exist between insurance cover held in & outside of super. Before deciding you should consider seeking advice from an authorised financial planner & read the relevant PDS obtainable at 1800 060 215. Insurance issuer MetLife Insurance Limited. Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited. ABN 84 068 826 728. AFSL 233815 as Trustee for Child Care Super (part of the Guild Retirement Fund).
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Brighter future with Better Beginnings
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he family literacy program Better Beginnings has been rolled out to more than 150,000 families in both rural and regional Western Australia since it began in 2005, dramatically improving the literacy skills of the children who have taken part. As Australia’s most extensive family literacy program, developed by the State Library of Western Australia, Better Beginnings provides books to children as young as six weeks old, encouraging parents/carers to share stories, songs and nursery rhymes with their children at an early age. Edith Cowan University (ECU)’s Centre for Research in Early Childhood, led by Dr Caroline Barratt-Pugh, has been evaluating the program for the past seven years. Their research has formed the building blocks for understanding why Better Beginnings has been such a successful tool in early literacy development. Dr Barratt-Pugh and her team evaluated the pilot program in 2005 and then conducted research into the program over two stages – from 2007 to 2009, and then again in 2010. Speaking to parents one-on-one as their children took part in the program, she found that Better Beginnings played an integral role not only in early literacy development, but also in strengthening the bond between parents and their children. ‘The importance of early childhood as the foundation of future development in all domains is now well established across the world. During the first three years, the brain is developing rapidly and a child’s relationships and experiences during the early years significantly influence how their brain grows,’ Dr Barratt-Pugh says. Dr Barratt-Pugh’s research has revealed that the program has already had a significant positive impact on the children involved. Her findings include: • In 2009, 62 per cent of mothers reported that after being involved in the Better Beginnings program, their confidence in sharing books with their child had increased. This figure increased to 88 per cent in 2010. • In 2009, 23 per cent of parents took out a library membership for their child. This figure increased to 65 per cent in 2010, and most parents who had taken out library memberships indicated their decision had been influenced by Better Beginnings.
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• In 2009, 79 per cent of those surveyed reported that Better Beginnings had influenced their beliefs about the importance of sharing books with their child. • In 2009, 85 per cent of mothers surveyed reported that they read to their child after receiving the Better Beginnings reading packs. Dr Barratt-Pugh believes Better Beginnings gives parents the tools and support to help their children develop good literacy habits early, which is one of the main reasons for its success. ‘Research has shown that sharing books and stories from birth has a positive impact on language and literacy development,’ Dr Barratt-Pugh says. ‘By supporting parents and carers in reading to children from birth, Better Beginnings helps young children to build the early literacy skills and love of books they need to become good readers and succeed at school.’
SEE YOUR EARLY CHILDHOOD CAREER GROW ThaT�s how universiTy should be
At ECU, we offer many courses specialising in Early Childhood studies. So whether you’re starting your teaching career, or extending your qualifications, we’ll help you develop the skills you need to become an outstanding teacher. If you already have a degree in any area and want to pursue an exciting career change, our Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) can be completed in just 12 months. These courses are taught by experienced professionals and offer extensive prac placements, giving you valuable experience in a range of kindergarten, pre‑primary and primary school settings. If you currently work in the education field, we offer Early Childhood specialisations at a Graduate Certificate and Masters level. These will help you develop specialist skills through projects that directly relate to classroom needs. We also offer a four year, specialised undergraduate course for those beginning their teaching journey.
Apply now for Early Childhood StudiES reachyourpotential.com.au
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Tel: 134 ECU (134 328) E: futurestudy@ecu.edu.au
★★★★★ TEACHING QUALITY ★★★★★ GRADUATE SATISFACTION The Good Universities Guide 2014
education general news + training
Inclusive programming BY MICHÈLE SPRECKLEY
How can we ensure that children of all abilities who attend kindergarten are able to participate in their day-today program?
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large number of children with developmental disability or delay are not eligible for the kinder inclusion support subsidy. This is very stressful for kindergarten teachers who are managing large groups of children with varying needs. Although a number of these children are supported by early intervention agencies, therapists may not visit as frequently as desired.
made a passing comment to us that we should do something together on a more formal basis, as Uncle Bobs’ staff always seem to be there! We took this as an invitation and worked closely with them, developing a plan for the following year. We met with the committee, participated in some joint professional training with all of the staff, attended a parent meeting to explain the concept, developed outcomes and strategies for the program and developed a memorandum of understanding for working together.
It also says that, ‘ECEC services and support professionals must be resourced and supported to the level required to fully include children with a disability, and to achieve high-quality outcomes for all children.’
The formal program started in 2008, when six to eight children with developmental disabilities and/ or delays attended the kindergarten together in one group, with extra staff provided by Uncle Bobs to support this program. The group would have a slightly reduced number of children overall to accommodate the changes. The children would receive all their therapy and early childhood intervention within the kindergarten program, all under the same roof. By committing to provide extra support each week through alternating speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and consultation by a teacher with special needs expertise, we would be supporting this kindergarten to help all children participate in their program. We also committed to providing an extra kinder assistant for the duration of the program.
Uncle Bobs Child Development Centre is an early intervention service under the auspice of the Royal Children’s Hospital, providing services to families of children with disabilities or developmental delays. In 2007, we had a number of children with additional needs attending Ave Maria Kindergarten in Aberfeldie, and found ourselves regularly visiting the kindergarten. One day, one of the staff members
We are now reaching the end of five years of this program, and we have certainly had some challenges, and many successes. The parents regularly remind us how good the program is, with all the services in one place. Moreover, having six families with additional needs children creates a sense of community and helps parents to avoid feeling isolated. In the classroom, the children have
The recently released statement by Early Childhood Australia and Early Childhood Intervention Australia stated that ‘every child is entitled to access and participate in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs that recognise them as active agents in their own lives and learning, respond to them as individuals, respect their families as partners and engage with their diverse backgrounds and cultures.’
24 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
education + training
the opportunity to learn that all people are different and accepted for who they are. Staff members across both organisations have gained skills: the early intervention staff has developed knowledge of the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, and the kindergarten staff has gained some specialist skills. The staff members from both organisations have worked well as a team. The challenges have principally been staff and management changes, which are common to many organisations. The kindergarten teacher in this program has a pivotal role in bringing the team together, and it can be a challenge to find the appropriate replacement if they leave. Keeping the communications lines open with a committee of management that changes annually requires time and effort to establish relationships. The introduction of Universal Access and 15hour programs in kindergartens also presented its challenges. The importance of embedding therapy into the children’s daily routine will become more critical as they spend longer days in the kindergarten setting, and the need to work closely with the adults who are interacting with these children throughout their day continues to be vital. Arranging the timetable to meet the needs of both staff and
parents, and above all the developmental needs of the children, has been very difficult and complex. Research evidence indicates that children in inclusive programs generally do at least as well as children in specialised programs. There are benefits for children with and without disabilities, particularly with respect to their social development. We feel that by working particularly closely with the staff in this kindergarten, and by reflecting and evaluating, we can provide services more efficiently and effectively to help these children reach highquality outcomes. For many families at Uncle Bobs, attending their local kindergarten and then moving onto primary school with their peers may be their preferred choice, but the program at Ave Maria Kindergarten presents another option, and for many of these families it is a stepping stone into the wider world. Michèle Spreckley is a physiotherapist and Manager of the Uncle Bobs Child Development Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Reference: Early Childhood Australia & Early Childhood Intervention Australia. (2012). Position Statement on the Inclusion of Children with a Disability in Early Childhood Education and Care. Photos courtesy of Ave Maria Kindergarten
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education ++training training education
Holmesglen students undertake international practicum
Holmesglen student Casey Goldsmith-Roy with students at Prasarnmit Demonstration School (Elementary) in Bangkok, Thailand.
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ecently, two fourth-year Bachelor of Early Childhood Education students were selected to undertake their final practicum at Prasarnmit Demonstration School (Elementary) in Bangkok, Thailand. Casey Goldsmith-Roy and Aleda Graham spent four weeks in the early years classrooms at the school, accompanied by one of their lecturers, Mary Hughes. During their stay, the students lived with families from the Prasarnmit school community, and were able to immerse themselves in Thai culture. Aleda was thrilled to be selected. ‘I was so lucky to be given this opportunity, where I was able learn about different teaching approaches and establish connections with like-minded educators across the world,’ she says. Aleda credits Holmesglen for giving her the confidence and skills needed to make the most of her experience in Thailand. ‘[The lecturers] have inspired me to be the best teacher I can be, arming me with tools such as inquiry, enthusiasm, playfulness and knowledge.’ Aleda works as a room leader at a private childcare centre and kindergarten in Brighton, and has been offered an ongoing role after completing her bachelor, as the teacher in the three-year-old kindergarten room. Casey Goldsmith-Roy also believes that she could not have received a better grounding for her early childhood career.
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‘I have learnt invaluable lessons through this course. Holmesglen has provided me with opportunities that I never thought would be within my reach. [Because of this chance] I was able to imagine moving to Thailand to continue teaching, with the view to moving around to other disadvantaged countries and improving their education systems.’ Casey’s impact on the Prasarnmit School during her placement was so strong that she was offered a teaching position for 2014. ‘Holmesglen has equipped me with a strong foundation that I can keep building on throughout my career,’ she says. Both students agreed that their time at Holmesglen fully prepared them for life as early childhood teachers, and without the support of the amazing staff, they would not have come this far. ‘[Holmesglen’s] supportive, inclusive and engaging environment is what makes their courses stand out from all the others,’ says Aleda. Holmesglen believes in equipping students with knowledge and experiences that will enable them to become inspirational early childhood educators. The chance for students to undertake an international practicum fits with Holmesglen’s strong reputation for quality education and study opportunities, from certificate right through to degree. For more information on the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education: T: 03 9564 6267 E: earlychildhood@holmesglen.edu.au
educational resources, programs + planning
Creating cultural awareness in your centre BY MEGAN MCGAY
Make the right cultural connections at your centre.
C
ultural competency is one of eight areas of practice in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). The philosophy behind the framework has been guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention states that every child has the right to an education that will develop his or her abilities to the fullest, and foster an understanding of and respect for their cultural backgrounds as well as other identities. The framework’s inclusion of the development of relationships with Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures is part of the wider ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy, devised by the Council of Australian Governments in 2008 to improve the lives and futures of Indigenous Australians. John Briggs is an Indigenous Cultural Awareness Facilitator and Consultant. He says that the inclusion of Indigenous culture in the EYLF and National Quality Standard (NQS) is an important milestone for Australian education. Mr Briggs says that the changes to the curriculum became noticeable after the Rudd Labor
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Government’s apology to the Indigenous population in 2008. The public acknowledgement triggered the inclusion of Indigenous education into the prep to 12 curriculum and, afterwards, the early childhood sector. ‘In the future, I hope Indigenous culture won’t be “added on” to mainstream education; it will simply be part of every Australian’s understanding of their country,’ says Mr Briggs. Mr Briggs says educators should think about the ‘bigger picture’ of cultural competency when creating programs to increase understanding and familiarity of Aboriginal culture. The benefits might not be immediately obvious, but once the preschoolaged children go to school, there will be a greater comprehensive understanding of different types of Australian backgrounds. To ensure that educators are sharing the correct regional information with their students, they should contact their local land councils, or commonwealth and state Indigenous liaison officers. ‘The liaison officers are good starting points because some work for state health departments or Centrelink, and they have networks that educators can build from.’ Mr Briggs says many educators struggled to link up to the right cultural spokesperson. ‘The links have been challenging for many centres. So [an educator] has gone onto Google, and if Google links them to
educational resources, programs + planning
a local resource directory where no one answers the phone, that’s as far as they will take it. That’s what I am hearing. ‘Some of the consistent issues that educators have involve their connections with their local Indigenous communities and resources, such as finding elders or community representatives to engage with for their Indigenous inclusion framework. ‘I have seen many attempts made by the centres to make connections, but there seems to be a breakdown in the continuity of the relationships. Possibly, some people expect Indigenous people to work for free, and that has been a barrier,’ Mr Briggs says. Being a cultural facilitator, Mr Briggs is earnest when discussing the politically sensitive nature of this topic, and the way it affects the confidence of some childcare centre educators. ‘There’s a lot of goodwill in the centres, but there have been a lot of challenges in that space around the engagement with the local community and the continuity of the relationship. ‘Some of the conversations I have been having regularly are with educators about what they can do in their capacity as educators and professionals,’ says Mr Briggs. Sometimes educators will display Aboriginal art but inadvertently use the wrong motifs for their region. ‘This will be challenged by the local Indigenous people, and it does affect their connection. Many centres have tried things before, but if it doesn’t go well, their energy to move forward is limited.’ Part of the problem is how feedback from the local community might be delivered to the staff at the centre. Both groups have good intentions, but their meanings can be misconstrued in discussions. ‘Some of the biggest challenges are that some of our community members aren’t always helpful in giving feedback on what should be done and how to do it, and that’s what I think has affected some centres. One centre that’s had a great relationship with the local elders will talk to another centre in a different region about their problems and dealing with a difficult local dynamic,’ Mr Briggs says. Mr Briggs advises educators to contact local Indigenous community representatives about incorporating their culture into the program, before introducing the programming to children. ‘A lot of these centres are in locations where there are a lot of fragmented Indigenous communities. So, what we ask in those situations where there is a challenge of initial engagement, is that they look at what they can do themselves in a generic format.’
Educators can include Indigenous culture as part of everyday practice by making a regular acknowledgement of country. This means that the centre is acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which the centre stands. Mr Briggs says the process has been used across the curriculum for students from prep to year 12. ‘By doing that, educators are able to report against their requirements in the EYLF and the NQS. The acknowledgement generates curiosity, and to assist the curiosity, we can hold yarning circles with structure. So, we do an acknowledgement of country in a circle and then we can talk about different aspects of Indigenous culture, and use that as a footprint for discussion. Our traditional culture sits everyone in a circle called a bora, which is a talking place. We also call it a “yarning circle”. ‘That’s an easy way that a generic format can take place to allow educators to explore Indigenous culture without engaging or affecting the local politics.’ Mr Briggs has been excited by the inclusion of Indigenous cultures in the EYLF and the National Quality Framework, but throughout his time visiting centres, he has observed some differences in the discussion points between educators and children. ‘I have noticed that there is a different incremental understanding about what Indigenous culture is in the nought-to-five space. It’s an issue we should be discussing, so there is more consistency. ‘A lot of my work has been with educators on exploring Indigenous culture in a childcare setting. So what we have been doing there is sending a key theme message that is, “Indigenous business is everyone’s business”. That actually supports Commonwealth Government responses, as well. ‘So we’ve been coining that term in the industry, and what we have been trying to promote is the relevance of all Australians to other Australians who have an Indigenous background,’ he says. Mr Briggs notes that some Australian language is very divisive when referring to people as Indigenous and non-Indigenous. ‘We are encouraging people to think about using language that explores the fact that when a young person, such as an Australian child with an Asian background, is exploring Indigenous culture, that child is exploring a fellow Australian with an Indigenous background.’
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 29
educationalresources, resources,programs programs++planning planning educational
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educational resources, programs + planning
Children have a jolly time learning Cuddles Childcare Centres reveal why Western Australian parents and teachers are so impressed with Jolly Phonics.
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new phonetic-based literacy program has been well received at the three Cuddles Childcare Centres in Western Australia.
The program, Jolly Phonics, was founded in 1977 in the United Kingdom by two primary school teachers who were concerned about students who were being ‘left behind’ by standard methods of teaching. They taught Jolly Phonics for 15 years before publicising the method via The Phonics Handbook in 1992. They added more products and conducted training sessions, and their method would eventually be taught in 68 per cent of schools in the United Kingdom. Jolly Phonics teaches children the 42 letter sounds of the alphabet in seven different groups. The children then blend the sounds together to form words. As they learn the sounds, the teacher traces the letter names and has the children trace in the air with their fingers. By the time all of the techniques are combined, children use auditory, speech, visual and kinaesthetic senses for each letter sound. This is important, because it ensures that children of all learning styles are given ample opportunities to learn. Since March, Cuddles Childcare Centre students have learned many of the letter sounds, but they have also learned cognitive skills that will serve them well when they reach school. They learn to listen and identify sounds, as well as how to combine those sounds into words. They have had great exposure and mental exercise by tracing the letters. Children who receive instruction in Jolly Phonics before entering school have proven to be far more 32 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
Photo courtesy of Cuddles Childcare Centre
prepared for literacy learning than those who have received no instruction at all. Michelle Novatscou, Operations Manager of three Cuddles Childcare Centres in Western Australia, thought that Jolly Phonics would be a natural fit for their ‘learning through play’ mission, and was able to add it to the Cuddles Childcare Centre curriculum in March of 2013. She knew that Jolly Phonics had been successful in many early learning situations, and wanted to add something that would enrich the lives of the children in her centres, while making sure that the overall daycare experience for the children was the first priority. ‘We thought Jolly Phonics would be a great fit for what we are doing here at Cuddles Childcare Centres, but we had no idea just how great a fit it would be. We believe in learning through play, and Jolly Phonics, while definitely a learning experience, feels a lot more like play with the way we teach it here. Children learn better when they are playing and learning voluntarily. Jolly Phonics uses cartoon-like characters as teaching tools, and it is natural for early learners,’ said Ms Novatscou. ‘We are seeing children learn the basics and become better prepared for school than those who don’t have the advantage of Jolly Phonics. While we don’t have anyone reading books or writing sentences yet, we have seen some children able to write words already, just by sounding them out the way Jolly Phonics teaches.’ To learn more about Jolly Phonics or learning through play, call a Cuddles Childcare centre near you: Carlisle (08) 9472 4702 St. James (08) 9358 4673 Bertram (08) 9419 1844 www.cuddleschildcare.com.au
educational resources, programs + planning
Practical tips for culturally inclusive early years learning BY JJ STRANAN
As educators, we see diversity in action every day of the week. Our class groups are made up of children with diverse abilities, diverse family backgrounds and diverse attention spans. Cultural diversity is on the radar more than ever at present, inside and outside the classroom, as we grow to recognise our place within a global society. For this reason, having an understanding of one’s own cultural background and the exciting diversity of cultures in the wider world is now a key outcome requirement of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
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any educators have terrific ideas about ways to guide multicultural awareness and create a culturally inclusive teaching environment. But linking these intentions with the practical, everyday workings of a classroom can be challenging. If you’re looking for new approaches, try some of these practical suggestions for culturally inclusive early years learning.
Everyone has a cultural story to tell Respect for diversity is one of the key principles outlined in the EYLF. This principle emphasises the need for educators to accept and value the home languages and cultures of classroom participants; and to promote the inclusion and active involvement of families in shared educational experiences. There are many great ways to do this, such as inviting members of the extended family to join the class and share a story, or a culturally specific craft activity. To create a truly inclusive learning space, remember to invite all class members to talk about their cultures, not just the class members with an obviously distinctive heritage. Children will gradually come to understand that we all have cultural stories to tell, and that our differences are something worth celebrating.
Same, same, but different Strangely enough, one of the easiest ways to explain what makes us unique is to examine what makes us the same. Outcome two of the EYLF asks educators to help children become aware of connections, similarities and differences between people. One practical way of introducing these concepts through play-based learning is by diversifying the resources in familiar activity areas, like cooking utensils, dress-up collections or games.
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educational resources, programs + planning
Many children enjoy imaginary cooking, so why not offer them pretend food with a global flavour? As they explore their imaginations, you are building connections between the early childhood setting and the wider world, where common human experiences like eating, dressing and playing unite us all.
Meaningful music One of the easiest, and most enjoyable, ways to bring cultural diversity to the classroom is through music. World music can be used for energetic, expressive dancing, or relaxing downtime, regardless of whether or not it’s sung in an unfamiliar language. Music has been shown to have a generally positive effect on learning outcomes, as students use complex cognitive skills to tune in to rhythm patterns, memorise dance routines and ask questions about the origins of a song.
Physical development and coordination can also be enhanced through dance or the use of percussion instruments, like clapping sticks and drums. Encourage children to listen out for unusual instruments in songs from other countries. You can extend this exploration of music by discussing non-verbal ways of telling stories – like dance, facial expressions and mime. In these ways, creating a culturally inclusive classroom environment needn’t be a laborious or a tokenistic ‘add-on’ to your daily teaching curriculum – it can be seamlessly incorporated into the everyday activities of your teaching and learning environment.
It’s all about respect Showing respect for global diversity is not just about the ways we talk about culture in the classroom; it is also about the ways we source materials to assist learning. Wherever possible, look out for learning tools that are produced and traded ethically. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander designs, for example, are routinely appropriated for use on tourist souvenirs. Look for classroom decorations or games that are authentically created by Aboriginal communities using imagery that is culturally appropriate for young learners. That way, you know that you are introducing authentic cultural stories to your class, while the community of origin is seeing the benefits. There are also international programs where resources are sold to benefit non-profit organisations in regional areas; or suppliers that use only environmentally sustainable wood products that don’t destroy natural habitats in the countries you’re trying to celebrate and support. You can discuss these resources with your young learners, too, in ageappropriate ways, to help them understand more about the global economy and the ways in which their toys and games are manufactured. These are just a few suggestions for practical ways to turn a philosophy of cultural inclusivity into a workable reality. Accepting and understanding diversity relies on a spirit of openness to new ideas and natural curiosity – two things most children bring to the classroom environment in abundance! By making culturally inclusive teaching and learning a natural part of their educational experience, you’re helping them on their way to becoming culturally confident and inclusive global citizens of the future. JJ Stranan is the director of Global Kids Oz, supplier of multicultural resources across Australia. Visit www.globalkidsoz.com.au, or phone 1300 32 00 65 for more information.
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educational resources, programs + planning
educational resources, programs + planning
Bringing the world to your classroom
G
lobal Kids Oz supplies and creates innovative, authentic multicultural teaching resources and room décor to Australian early learning centres. Our versatile indoor/outdoor Indigenous mats, games, puzzles, books and CDs encourage young people to celebrate diversity in the classroom and to connect with their own cultural identities – key outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Our multicultural teaching supplies are bright, robust and fun, ensuring that even the youngest learner can develop a deeper understanding of culture through hands-on, play-based education. Our products are carefully chosen for their high quality, but also for their cultural authenticity. This means that educators can develop classroom activities knowing that they are using respectful, ethical and culturally appropriate resources. Global Kids Oz can supply your learning environment with games, education kits, play mats and more from over 150 countries. Visit our comprehensive website for easy online ordering. You’ll also discover free downloads and a treasure trove of articles about world cultures and diversity in Australia.
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We believe that all cultures are unique and deserve respect and consideration. The EYLF supports this belief. Let us help you celebrate diversity and incorporate multicultural education into day-to-day learning with practical, colourful, authentic teaching tools from Global Kids Oz. Global Kids Oz is a proud member of the Indigenous Art Code and works with artists across Australia and beyond to design and create resources that abide by the code of ethics as set out in the Indigenous Art Code charter. Visit www.globalkidsoz.com.au or call us toll free on 1300 32 00 65. Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/globalkidsoz.com.au
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 35
educational resources, programs + planning
Children’s Protection Society: Early Years Education Project
BY JANET WILLIAMS-SMITH
In a north-east Melbourne suburb, a critical research project is being conducted to see how educators can best cater for at-risk children.
intensive attachment-focused care and high-quality early education programs for children referred to the service by Child Protection and Family Support services. The centre opened in February 2010 with seed funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).
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The most vulnerable children in our community – who would gain the most from participation in early years services – are the ones who are least likely to participate. The needs of these children can be so complex that mainstream universal services are often not sufficiently resourced or supported to engage and respond to their presenting needs and challenges.
he Children’s Protection Society (CPS) is an independent child welfare organisation in the north-east region of Melbourne, established in 1896. CPS has a vision for all children to thrive in safe families and communities, with a mission to break the cycle of abuse and neglect in families, improving the life chances and choices for all children. CPS provides a suite of programs and services to children and families, including family support, sexual abuse counselling and treatment services, father support programs, and an early education and care service.
Early Years Education Project (EYEP) Operating in a purpose-built children’s centre in northern Melbourne, CPS has set up a focused early years education and care service for children at risk of abuse and neglect. A highly skilled staff provides
38 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
What we know is that development in infancy and early childhood occurs at a more rapid pace than at any other time of life. Stable, predictable, nurturing care that includes a stimulating environment is necessary throughout infancy and early childhood to enable healthy cognitive, language, social and emotional development. Entrenched neglect can cause irreparable damage to young children’s development and learning.
educational resources, programs + planning
Education model EDUCATIONAL AIDS SCHOOL SUPPLIES
Constructed based on the national Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), the curriculum-based education model uses the five key outcomes of the EYLF to build and extend children’s learning and experiences. There is a relational pedagogy approach to learning that builds on each individual child’s skills and interests. Economist James Heckman has said, ‘Life cycle skill formation is dynamic and hierarchical. Most gaps in levels of skill between children from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds have happened by age five.’ These children are exposed to an intensive, language-rich, high-quality education experience five hours a day, five days a week, 50 weeks a year. There are very high expectations for 324111A_Educational Aids | 2074.indd them to achieve, and as their skills are extended they have the opportunity to reach their maximum potential developmental capacity. Every educator has a minimum of a diploma in children’s services, and all rooms have a bachelor’s degree-qualified teacher.
Showroom 430 Montague Road, Modbury North, SA 5092 P. 08 8264 8882 | F. 08 7070 2624 E. sales@edaids.com.au www.edaids.com.au Suppliers of: · School Equipment · Games · Primary Text · Teacher Reference · Jolly Phonics Resources · Reading Eggs Resources · Flashcards · Hands-on Manipulatives · Early Learning resources · Art & Craft supplies · Posters, Charts & Bulletin Boards · Educational Games
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Care model Alongside this high-quality education model, the children are exposed to an enriched, attachmentfocused care model. There is a strong focus on building relationships for learning. The children are offered a predictable and purposeful environment with safe attachment figures, so they can become secure enough to explore, be curious and learn. Many of these children experience proximal risk and insecurity daily, and need time to build up confidence and stability in order to learn. The staff members are assigned as primary educators to children and families for a three-year period, with staff-to-child ratios of 1:3 for children under three, and 1:6 for children over three. The children build significant relationships with their educators to develop social and emotional skills, and confidence that fosters cognitive and intellectual development.
Partnerships with parents While children are the primary focus of CPS’s services, the program works in partnership with parents to reduce risk factors and build protective factors. The program has a strong focus on parents’ participation, and families are encouraged to work in partnership with staff to identify goals for their children and develop understandings and skills to support their children’s development, health and wellbeing.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 39
educational resources, programs + planning
Research This program is part of the CPS Early Years Education Research Project (EYERP) – the first of its kind in Australia. Informed by existing overseas research (Carolina Abecedarian, Perry Preschool in the United States of America and the United Kingdom’s Effective Provision of Preschool Education Project), the project is the subject of a three-year randomised controlled trial. In partnership with the University of Melbourne and the Royal Children’s Hospital, CPS intends to measure the outcomes of this work to produce some evidence on the long-term benefits of high-quality early education and care: early in the life of children, and early in the pathway of emerging problems.
Why? One of the best outcomes we can achieve for very vulnerable children is the opportunity to start their school careers well. How children begin their formal years of education is critical to finishing school, gaining employment and becoming participant, contributing adults in our community and society.
Jackson’s Story Jackson is four years old and lives with his mum and older sister in temporary housing in a northern suburb of Melbourne. His dad is a heroin addict and currently has no contact with him. His mum is depressed and struggles to manage the daily care of her children. Jackson lived rough for the first 18 months of his life, failing to thrive. He was 18 months old when he was finally taken into care, and eventually returned to his mum when he was two. Jackson has not yet recovered from the trauma of his first year and a half of life. He displays significantly challenging behaviours, and has been excluded from two childcare centres due to behaviours such as swearing and attacking other children. Although this is difficult to manage, it is entirely appropriate for the way he feels because of what he has experienced. He is not naughty; he is traumatised and frightened. Jackson’s mother smacks him for being ‘naughty’, and child protection services has intervened with supervision orders, but decided against removing him from his mother’s care again.
Jackson is due to start school next year He started at the CPS Child and Family Centre last year with his mum and brother. It took him three months to settle into the program and begin to trust staff. In addition to the staff gaining the trust of Jackson, they
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Alongside the moral imperative to respond to children at risk in situations of abuse or neglect, there is also an economic imperative. Investing in early-years intervention leads to future remedial cost savings – a factor of between $1 and $18. (Early Childhood Education for All: A Wise Investment, James Heckman, Economics Nobel Prize Winner) Investment at this very early stage in life can have not only lifelong positive outcomes for the children involved, but also broader social and economic benefits for Australia as a society. We expect to have some outcomes on this research in late 2016. Janet Williams-Smith is the Program Development Manager of Early Childhood Services at the Children’s Protection Society Child and Family Centre. For more information on CPS, visit www.cps.org.au. For more information on the research, visit www.eyerp.org.
also needed to gain the trust of his mum. Jackson has a predictable and purposeful routine every day at the centre, and eats three meals a day there. He is responsible for helping to care for the chickens, collecting eggs each morning and taking them to the chef to cook. He helps serve breakfast for himself and the rest of the children, and he has flourished in this responsibility of providing. In just one year, Jackson has come to understand that he has safe relationships. As a result, he has become ready to learn. He explores and experiments, and has started to interact with his peers in social play activities and experiences. He can pretend and imagine. He can ask for help and he can tell staff when he feels angry and upset. This is the beginning of his recovery. He has a long way to go, and is likely not to be as ‘school ready’ as most of his peers, but with the small amount of time he has had to recover from the trauma of his infancy, he is doing well. Now Jackson’s mother is not alone. She is in partnership with people who can support her to create a safe life for her son. It is a new story. One with possibilities. Without considered early intervention, many other children in situations similar to Jackson’s are likely to grow up to lead lives of social exclusion and perpetuate this cycle with their own children.
educational resources, programs + planning
educational resources, programs + planning
High-quality resources for ECEC sector
E
arly Childhood Australia (ECA) is proud to be a publisher and retailer of quality assured early childhood resources for educators, parents and students. Our Research in Practice (RIP) Series aims to provide practical, easy-to-read, up-to-date information and support to a growing national readership of early childhood workers. This series is an ideal resource for children’s services workers and others who are interested in the care and education of young children. The Everyday Learning (EDL) Series is aimed at students and parents or carers of young children. This popular subscription draws upon the endless possibilities for enriching children’s learning experiences through everyday activities, and aims to build understanding of child development. Many ECEC services purchase this publication in bulk for their parents and keep a copy in their parent library. ECA would like to offer readers of Belonging a special offer on the above subscriptions. Call ECA on
1800 356 900 and mention the code ‘Belonging’ to receive a five per cent discount on your subscription. A 12-month subscription featuring four editions to RIP is $55 and EDL is $50. These publications are an essential resource in all early childhood services to support your provision of high-quality care to children.
EARLY CHILDHOOD AUSTRALIA National Conference 2014
Keynote Speakers
SEASONS OF CHANGE (Australia)
(USA)
Ann Pelo (USA)
Kristie Brandt (USA)
Julie Davis
Lydia Miller
(Australia)
(Australia)
4–7 September 2014, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
RE
www.ecaconference.com.au/registration
GIS
TE RN
© A.Sax 2013
Sharon Lynn Kagan
OW
Michael McQueen
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BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 41
educationalresources, resources,programs programs++planning planning educational
The new world of early childhood education and care (ECEC) Documentation and educational programs without meaningless paperwork
E
ducational program and practice continues to be a quality area that challenges educators across the nation. The good news is that meeting or even exceeding this quality area is not nearly as difficult in practice as many educators believe. Some educators are frequently frustrated when their educational program, which is often little more than an activity list, falls by the wayside. Why? Because children at play are more interested in trickling water down a mound of sand than partaking in the planned fine motor experience that their educator pulled off Pinterest and planned for the Monday morning ‘activity time’. Pinterest can be intentful, emergent and creative in the right hands. Mostly, though, it is used as a cheating tool for empty programs that have no more depth or learning potential than watching Play School. Passive educational programs have their place, outside of the ECEC setting. Play School is nostalgic to many of us working in ECEC today, which begs the question, ‘Are traditional educational programs somewhat responsible for the continuing tradition of presenting craft to children in a way that is structured, teacher-initiated and product-focused?’ We, as early childhood practitioners, are now insisting on being recognised as educated, professional, reflective practitioners. For this reason, our educational programs for children must be guided by the practices and principles of our Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), not an internet search that regurgitates an egg carton caterpillar. As practitioners, we need to stop looking for a template and start looking for a method that respects our own pedagogy. In the search to deliver educational program and practice that meets our National Quality Standards (NQS), some services are creating templates and even purchasing additional paperwork to justify their practice according to their interpretation of the NQS. Most educators we meet are doing too much paperwork. Documentation of children’s learning in the early years should be engaging and meaningful. It should reflect your pedagogy, your intent and be useful for making assessments of the child’s learning. If it’s not, you are wasting your time.
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Many software options offered to our ECEC sector to date have been bland, cumbersome and outright useless, and in no way support a day in the life of an educator. In the words of Warren Viti, Director of iChild, we, as a sector, ‘have been jaded by poorquality information systems’. Get rid of the Sandi Barrett unnecessary paper. Not only is digital documentation more sustainable, it is also quicker and easier on us as educators, so we can spend time doing what we do best: being with children. We yearn for a digital solution that will streamline our paper processes, but we haven’t found one that respects the complexity of our roles. Fortunately, the tide is turning. iChild software extensively coordinates all operations of an ECEC setting, but most importantly, it allows an educator to document children’s learning while seamlessly designing an educational program. iChild is a powerful, intuitive and creative software suite designed specifically for exceptional quality ECEC that will support the work you do from program planning through to learning documentation and beyond. iChild is here and it will unequivocally rock our world. Written by Sandi Barrett Director – Phoenix Support for Educators www.phoenix-support.com.au Phoenix Support for Educators is committed to delivering professional development and support to inspire educators to conquer the new world in ECEC. Each of our learning facilitators have been handpicked for their specialist expertise and ability to ignite passion, awareness and confidence for what’s possible as reflective practitioners. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Phoenix.Consultancy
when only brilliant will do
advanced premium software for the education and care sector online portfolio | learning management | program planning | complete child profile | routine management | parent sign in electronic forms | alerts & notifications | realtime messaging
Australia’s leaders in education and care solutions www.ichildonline.com | enquiry@ichildonline.com | 1300 14 222 3
nutrition + menu planning
Tuna patties Tuna patties are a delicious way to serve fish for lunch and are packed full of fresh, seasonal vegetables. These tasty child-sized patties are a great source of omega-3 fats, which are essential for optimal child development. Make two batches and freeze one to save time.
Ingredients 300g (3 medium) uncooked potatoes 850g canned tuna in brine, drained 2/3 cup grated zucchini 2/3 cup grated carrot ½ medium onion, finely chopped 3 tablespoons plain flour 1 egg 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs 1/3 cup seasonal salad per serve
Preparation time: 40–50 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Makes: 10 patties Allergen information: contains: fish, gluten, wheat, egg. As well as containing wheat, some breadcrumbs contain cow’s milk protein and/or soy.
Method 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Spray oven tray with canola oil. 2. Prepare potatoes – peel, boil or steam, and mash. 3. Drain tuna and place in bowl.
44 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
4. Combine grated zucchini, carrot, onion and flour with tuna. 5. Add cooled mashed potato. 6. Add egg and mix to combine. 7. Form small 60g patties and coat in breadcrumbs. Place on prepared oven tray. 8. Place tray in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve two patties with a seasonal salad. Recipe courtesy of Ruth Wallace, PhD candidate at Edith Cowan University. Visit snacwa.com.au, and childaustralia.org.au for more information.
occupational health + safety
Dressing for success in childcare
The issue of what to wear to work can be daunting in any profession, but in childcare there is a particular set of circumstances to be aware of when dressing, and when guiding staff on how to dress.
A
s the Professional Support Coordinator Alliance has outlined in the following sample policy on dress code in childcare centres, there is far more at stake than simply presenting neatly and professionally.
Educator and staff dress code: rationale and policy considerations The [childcare] service has a responsibility to ensure that educators and staff are not putting themselves and others at risk by wearing clothing and footwear that may cause injury. Employers have obligations under state and territory, and federal legislation to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Employees and contractors also have obligations under law to take reasonable care to protect themselves and others in the workplace. In addition, the way educators and staff dress contributes to the professional image of the service.
Philosophy [The philosophy consists of a] documented approach to the provision of a safe and healthy environment for both employees and contractors, and children and families; [and a documented] approach to educator and staff professionalism, and responsible conduct.
Children’s needs A safe and healthy environment in which to play and learn.
Families’ needs Reassurance that health and safety standards are maintained at the service, and that their children are safe. A professionally run service.
Educator and staff needs To be kept up to date with information on best practice in minimising the risk of injury due to inappropriate clothing; to be fashionable and smart at work.
Management needs To minimise risk of injury to staff; to maintain a professional image for the service.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 45
occupational health + safety
Educators and staff are required to dress in clean and tidy clothing that is suitably loose to give freedom of movement when involved in manual handling activities...
The service will supply uniforms for employees (or employees may purchase their own uniform and be reimbursed). Uniforms may be washed at the service, or the appropriate allowances will be paid for laundering uniforms in accordance with relevant awards/enterprise agreements.
Footwear Footwear must be safe and comfortable, and without attachments that may cause injury to educators and staff or children. No spiked heels, thongs, open-toed or strapless shoes are to be worn.
Cosmetic jewellery and make-up
• Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010(Vic) – Section 3(2)(a); 3(3)(f); 167
It is considered that the wearing of excessive jewellery or make-up by educators and staff presents an unprofessional image, and may pose an occupational safety and health hazard to educators and staff, and to children. Therefore, the following limits are to be adhered to in regards to jewellery and make-up worn by educators and staff at the service:
• Education and Care Services National Regulations: 168(2)(a), (2)(a), (2)(i)(i)
• Jewellery that dangles, is sharp or pointy, or may be grabbed or pulled by a child, is not to be worn.
• National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Age Care (Nov 2010) – Standard 4.1
• No perfume is to be worn, as children with allergies may react to it.
• Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
In the interests of health and hygiene, educators and staff must ensure that their hair is clean and tidy, and that long hair is tied back.
National Quality Framework
• Framework for School Age Care in Australia
Policy statement The education and care service requires educators and staff to be dressed in a manner that: • ensures the safety, health and hygiene of children, and educators and staff • is comfortable to wear and allows the educator or staff member to safely perform their duties • maintains a friendly yet professional childcare image • provides a positive role model to the children • is sensitive to, and respectful of, differing backgrounds, cultures and individual needs.
Clothing Educators and staff are required to dress in clean and tidy clothing that is suitably loose to give freedom of movement when involved in manual handling activities, and that meets the following minimum requirements: • sleeved tops or shirt • mid-thigh or longer pants • a jacket or jumper may be worn in cooler months.
46 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
Hair
Staff who work in the kitchen at any time must wear a cap or disposable hairnet. Disposable hairnets are provided by the service.
Hats and sunglasses It is a requirement that educators and staff wear hats that provide shade to the face and neck whenever they are outside, to ensure protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, and to provide appropriate role modelling for the children, who must also wear their hats. The service will provide a hat for each educator and staff member, and provide them with information on skin cancer and the importance of skin protection when working outdoors at the commencement of employment.
PSCA Policies in Practice Educator and staff dress code The service recommends that educators and staff also wear sunglasses while outside; however, this is optional.
occupational health + safety
Sunglasses must only be worn outside, and reflective sunglasses should be removed whenever an educator or staff member is talking to children or parents, in order to maintain eye contact.
Information for educators/staff Information about what constitutes appropriate and safe clothing for the childcare setting will be regularly discussed at educator and staff meetings, and through notices posted in the staff room. All new educators and staff will be given clear information about the service’s educator and staff dress code at the time of interview and during induction.
Procedures Services may find the following list of example procedures useful as tools in the implementation of this policy. List your service’s precise steps for achieving each action. Ask yourself when, how and where, and who is responsible for what actions. • Educator/Staff Code of Ethics • Educator/Staff Orientation checklist • Relief/Casual Employee Orientation checklist • Student/Volunteer Orientation checklist. This sample policy has been reproduced with the permission of the Professional Support Coordinator Alliance. Find the full publication at: www.ipsplibrary.net.au The PSC Alliance includes a Professional Support Coordinator (PSC) in each state and territory. Professional Support Coordinators are funded by the Australian Government under the Inclusion and Professional Support Program (IPSP) to provide professional development and support to education and care services to enhance the provision of quality services to children and families. PSCs also manage bicultural support, the IPSP Resource Library, and specialist equipment. Established in 2005, the PSC Alliance exists to ensure the effective implementation of the IPSP through collaboration between state and territory PSCs to work towards achieving national consistency in information to education and care services about government policy; and consistency in professional development and support.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 47
occupationalhealth health++safety safety occupational
The ONLY hand dryer designed for children!
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he new fun way of introducing children to drying their hands – and they can help save the planet too...
Features and benefits: • dries hands in 10 seconds • uses 90 per cent less energy than a conventional dryer • a 98.5 per cent saving over paper towels • touch-free operation reduces chances of user contamination • die cast aluminium construction • powder-coated blue, with a child-friendly design • includes a specifically designed scratch- and water-resistant backing board, providing effective splashback wall protection with an environmental message.
Warranty: • three-year parts and one-year labour • guaranteed for up to 350,000 uses within this period.
Introductory offer: • $495 ex GST. Contact us today: 1300 889 091 Visit us at the Early Years Exhibition Expo and Conference 15–16 March 2014 Rose Hill Race Course Stand 9 and 10 To see the JetBot in action.
X 48••BELONGING BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME VOLUME33NUMBER NUMBER11••2014 2014
JETBOT HAND DRYER The faster, friendlier & more efficient
hand dryer for children
Technical Specifications Item category
Performance data
Model Number
JDBOT-B
Operating voltage
220–240 Vac, 50Hz
Air speed
64 m/s
Motor type
640W adjustable brush type
Heater element
240W thermal protected
Rating power
900W
Drying time
10 seconds
Circuit operation
Infrared automatic, self adjusting
Timing protection
30 seconds auto shut off
Drip proof
IPX22
Isolation
Class I
Net weight
4.5kg
Unit size (W x H x D)
280 x 300 x 175mm
Finish
Die cast aluminium powder coated blue
Decibel rating
76 dBA @ 1 mtr
Approvals
EC/EN60335-1 & IEC/ EN60335-2-23 Compliant to EMC directive according to EN55014-1, EN55014-2, EN61000-3-2, EN61000-3-3
Power connection
3-pin plug and lead
Ph: 1300 889 091 Web: ehservices.com.au
child health + safety
Motoring along BY VIVIENNE WILLIAMS
Which activities help children develop their fine motor skills?
H
andwriting is an extremely complex skill that requires the child to coordinate what they think, see, hear and feel, and how they move. It requires shoulder and wrist stability, thumb stability and mobility, well-developed hand arches, development of a skilled and stable side of the hand, development of the intrinsic or small muscles of the hand, in-hand manipulation skills, and bilateral coordination (or use of the two hands). Pencil grip and scissor skills require the same foundational skills to a greater or lesser degree. There are other related skills, such as visual acuity (what can they see), visual perception (the process for interpreting what is seen), postural strength and control, visual motor coordination (coordinating visual perception with fine or gross motor movement), memory, planning, sequencing skills, and language development. These skills need to be developed too – and in most kids this happens automatically, like other physical developments such as crawling and walking. The preschool years are very important for developing all of the above skills. By the time children finish their kindergarten year, they should be able to do the following (see table):
50 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
Skill area
Four to five years
Five to six and a half years
Pre-writing
• Draw a square following a model. • Match six or more colours using two strips of each colour. • Complete a picture of a stick person, after being shown an example picture. • Draw a diagonal line and a zigzag line following models.
• Trace around their own hand. • Make fine visual discriminations, match similarlooking letters. • Draw pictures of three common objects. • Identify look-alike words correctly. • Hold a pencil correctly with a tripod grasp.
Blocks/ puzzles
Reproduce a two-dimensional block design after demonstration.
• Put together a 10piece interlocking puzzle. • Build a five-block bridge after demonstration. • Reproduce a previously viewed block pattern.
Paper activities
Spread glue on one side of the paper and turn over to stick to another.
child health + safety
Skill area
Four to five years
Stringing Beads
String small beads reproducing a colour and shape sequence/pattern.
Scissors
• Cut out a small square or triangle with scissors, three inches on each side. • Cut out pictures following a general shape.
Five to six and a half years
Practicing hand-eye coordination • Complete dot-to-dots and mazes – start with wider lines and then go narrower. • Play tracing games and activities. • Cut lines and mazes.
• Cut six-inch cloth or other material with scissors (supervised). • Independently cut complex pictures following outline.
Skill area
Four to six and a half years
Perceptual motor: tactile
• Matches/chooses like objects that are hard/soft by touch. • Matches/chooses like objects that are thin/ fat by touch. • Matches/chooses like objects that are circular, triangular, rectangular by touch. • Matches/chooses like objects that are light/heavy by touch. • Identifies objects through sense of touch.
Source: HELP Checklists 3-5 years
• Do colouring activities focusing on smaller, controlled strokes.
Building scissor skills • Teach children to cut away from their body and turn the paper, not their cutting arm or their bodies. • Start in a progression of using two hands to hold scissors to cut straws, wool and narrow strips of cardboard. • Then teach how to manipulate scissors with one hand and start with snipping the above-mentioned materials, then practice with paper. • Make a sun shape and get children to snip the rays of the sun. Here, they have to learn to stop and turn. • Progress to narrower lines, geometric shapes, curves, spirals, circles and then irregular shapes, like characters.
What can you do to help?
• Build interest by drawing lines and boxes around favourite characters or magazine pictures.
Strengthening posture, shoulder and wrist stability
Other ideas
• Allow and encourage children to work in a range of different positions, such as standing at a vertical surface, and lying on the floor, propped on elbows. • Do warm-up activities to help provide sensory input to both the large whole body muscles and the small muscle groups, including star jumps, dancing, finger and hand songs, or animal walks. • When children are seated, make sure that their desk and chair is set up for them; hips, knees and ankles should all be at 90 degrees.
Developing pencil grip Do lots of activities requiring children to use their thumb, index finger and middle finger in a pincer or three-finger pinch grasp: • Use tongs and tweezers of various sizes. • Use vertical surfaces including easels, chalkboards, whiteboards or paper taped to the wall just above shoulder height. • Use small pencils, crayons, chalk or short jumbo chalk.
I find it best to build fine motor and related skills into everyday life. For example: • Take some extra time in a playground to encourage climbing, swinging and hanging (to build shoulder and hand strength). • Play games on tummies to strengthen postural muscles. • Set the kids loose in the backyard with a spray bottle or small trigger water pistols. • Set up a chalkboard (or pavement) and do great chalk artworks with small pieces of jumbo chalk. • Get your kids to open as many jars and bottles as possible. • Get your kids to help pull some weeds. • Set them loose with bubble wrap. • Get them to button up pyjamas and take turns with the buttons until they can manage independently. Think about life as a finger and hand gymnasium; lots of small everyday life activities will add up to a lot of gains in strength and development.
• Play with bubble wrap. • Practice tearing paper.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 51
child health + safety
What if my child will not engage in any of those games?
child’s snake, back and forth, to help get a product they like. 3. Explicitly model and teach skills, such as how to hold scissors and cut, or how to use two hands to roll playdough.
There are many children who avoid fine motor and related play. Some will engage with reluctance and others refuse and/or get emotional. Some of these children have no underlying concerns with their development, other than a lack of interest and a strong personality that needs to be interested to engage. Other children can have underlying issues with their sensory processing, motor planning or developmental delays.
4. Use a visual schedule or list so they know what they have to do and for how long. Reward them with praise, stickers and a photo of their work, according to what motivates them. 5. Do small amounts regularly.
Regardless, it is important to make children practice small amounts each day. It can be difficult to work with these children in a child-led curriculum, because they are not drawn to fine motor and related activities and, consequently, they do not fully develop their skills. At home, they tend to be equally unmotivated and get emotional with their parents if pushed. I find the best way to work with these children is to: 1. Use the imagination. For example, you are not threading straws, you are collecting dinner for the dinosaur. Playdough needs to be speared with matchsticks to make a crazy spiky animal, and don’t forget his eyeballs! 2. Help get the child started, and then keep the play going by swapping your playdough snake for the
The preschool years are critical in helping children develop the foundational skills for pencil grip, scissor skills and handwriting. It is very important to not only give the opportunity, but also to provide a set structure and supports to help those kids who avoid fine motor activities. If you are worried, refer the child to an occupational therapist who will be able to assess why he or she is not developing, and provide fun and engaging activities and parent/child training to overcome the blocks. Vivienne Williams is the Principal of Kids Matters OT, a large occupational therapy practice with therapists who regularly help children to overcome their struggles with fine motor development. Phone Kids Matters OT on Ph: 1300 136 596 www.kidsmatters.com.au
Yoga for strength, imagination and reflection
M
elbourne Kids Yoga provides an exciting and unique incursion in a friendly and personal way. Our programs support children of different developmental stages, from a babies’ room to a grade six class. We can have the children using their bodies to snap like crocodiles while strengthening their spines, or balancing in tree poses to improve their focus and concentration. Yoga poses are integrated through the use of imagination and real-life reflection,
keeping the children engaged and entertained. Classes range from 20 to 45 minutes. All yoga mats and additional props are provided. Please visit our website and send us an email, or phone us today to book your next incursion. www.melbournekidsyoga.com.au ph: 0409 148 418
Dynamic and flexible class structures that cater to the developmental needs of children aged between 1-12 years. Breathing & relaxation techniques for emotion control with strength, flexibility & general fitness.
www.melbournekidsyoga.com.au 326862AE_Melbourne Kids Yoga | 2074.indd 24
52 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
27/02/14 9:31 AM
finance, business + property
Social media in the childcare sector – tips, tricks and downright ‘don’ts’ BY DANICA LEYS
I am thrilled to be able to present at the Early Years Exhibition and Conference. I love being able to share what I have learnt about social media use over the past few years.
This strategy is simplistic, but it generally works. Even with this triage approach, however, there will be times when things get out of hand quickly. In these instances, you may need to seek specialised advice from a media expert, but the one thing that you should do straight away is acknowledge the comment. Don’t think that it will just go away – I’ll elaborate more about that in the presentation.
O
Some useful pointers on how to approach professional social media use
I’m sure you can all think of ways to use social media to your advantage, either in your own professional life, or that of your business, so I hope that you enjoy the presentation at the conference, if you are able to attend. Below, I’ve outlined some tips, tricks and pointers to help get you going.
• Use photos (where appropriate). A picture can tell a thousand words.
ne of the biggest strengths of the evergrowing form of communication that is social media is its ability to build really engaged and interesting online communities around lots of different topics.
What to do with negative commentary Let’s get the worrying stuff out of the way first. Yes, social media is wonderful, on many different levels and for many different reasons. There can, however, be pitfalls. Bad stories, particularly involving children, can go viral very quickly and damage reputations, brands and, importantly, feelings. Each situation will need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In the first instance, however, when a negative comment comes in, I have found it useful to put it in a ‘comment triage’, so to speak, consisting of the following assessments: In the case of an unhappy client or complainer: • Is what they are saying correct? Immediately address the issue and let them know, on social media, that it has been addressed. • Is what they are saying incorrect? Gently correct the facts and take the conversation offline if possible.
• Keep the content fresh, updated and engaging. • Use a conversational and friendly tone; stiff and formal language doesn’t translate well on social media.
• Understand what linking accounts does, and assess whether this is useful for you or not. In most cases, I would say don’t do it. • Monitor your platforms to ensure that third-party content is not crossing the line.
Some don’ts • Don’t use social media as a grandstand or as a substitute to advertise yourself or your business. It’s a much more subtle medium than that. • Don’t have one-way conversations; that is, don’t fail to engage with third-party interactions. • Don’t step over the line legally. If you are not sure, get advice. • Don’t allow employees to post on your business’s behalf unless they have been trained on a clear and coherent social media policy. Danica Leys is the Policy Director – Environments at the New South Wales Farmers’ Association. She is presenting ‘Social Media – Making it Worth Your While’ at 11.30 am on 15 March 2014 at the Early Years Exhibition and Conference.
• Is it a troll? Block.
BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014 • 53
finance, business business++property property finance,
7 tips when selling your childcare centre Sean Collins is the founder of Collins Acquisitions, which acquires childcare centres on behalf of G8 Education, and has had experience buying for several other leading childcare groups both in Australia and North America over the last 10 years. 1. Don’t accept an offer with finance conditions In today’s market, an offer conditional upon finance is simply not necessary. There are far too many buyers out there in the position to pay a premium price without these conditions. G8 Education is a great example of not requiring funding for the purchase.
2. Good occupancy is crucial Occupancy in child care is the most important factor when assessing its worth. Good buyers such as G8 Education will ignore the historical occupancy if the centre is now trading in a good position.
3. Long lease If your lease is drawing to a close, you may like to get some comfort knowing your landlord’s willingness to extend the lease for a new buyer. Without this, your business isn’t worth much at all.
4. Experience in completing a sale With so many factors that need to take place in a sale, it is important that the buyer has had experience completing the sale. Your landlord and staff need to feel comfortable with the purchaser, and the process needs to be seamless.
5. Price isn’t everything There is no point in taking the highest offer if they can’t complete the sale. Too often, we see companies offer a high price but can’t deliver. Read between the lines and see what conditions the offer includes.
6. Be happy with the buyer’s character If you don’t get along with the buyer, don’t sell to them. The process can be very communicative, so a good relationship is crucial.
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7. Plan after the sale Don’t sell the business if you don’t know your next plan. It is really important to have the next stage in your life figured out. Whether that is a new development, retirement or another venture.
Acquiring Child Care centres since 2006. If you haven’t got an offer from us, you haven’t done your due dillegence. www.collinsacquisitions.com e: info@collinsacquisitions.com.au • Melbourne 03 8679 6486 • Sydney 02 8078 6945 • Perth 08 6311 2808 • Adelaide 08 8311 3760
finance, business + property
The bricks and mortar of childcare investment BY LINCOLN BRIDGE
There is a growing interest in property investment in the childcare sector – a sector that not too long ago was a fairly specialised and limited investment pool. This new interest in our Aussie long day care centres is attracting a broad mix of local private investors and private property syndicates.
W
ith regard to individual investors, we are seeing a modest increase in childcare acquisitions through self-managed super funds (SMSFs). There has been some hype within the industry about abnormally low yields (high prices) being paid by SMSF investors, but the reality is that it’s just not that common. The majority of any institutionbased lending on childcare sites will be subject to a ‘panel approved’ childcare specialist valuation, with valuations typically showing comparative market yields based on relevant sales evidence. In short, if you borrow, it’s difficult to pay well above market value for a centre with this valuation process in place. This safeguard of panel approval is bringing comfort to new buyers who are unfamiliar with the industry, and, by reducing this risk, is helping to make the decision to purchase less daunting. More mum-and-dad passive investors are coming across from other industries, such as petrol stations,
56 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
We find that there is some emotion attached to a purchase; buyers become aware of the social importance of a facility that is ingrained in the local community and provides early education to our future generations, at the very least commercial office space and retail, and, interestingly, they are also transitioning from residential investment to childcare. Why is this occurring? Quite simply, these investors are falling in love with the security of the sector, which is underpinned by government funding,
finance, business + property
corporate competition, higher yields and the year in, year out rental increases that many childcare leasehold investments offer. We find that there is some emotion attached to a purchase; buyers become aware of the social importance of a facility that is ingrained in the local community and provides early education to our future generations, at the very least. Childcare property investment is also powering on at the bigger end of town. Australian property trusts and investment funds have had a longstanding involvement with the sector; much of this involvement grew from the rise of ABC. The collapse of the giant didn’t deter the industry, however, and funds like these continue to invest heavily in the sector and offer secure returns to their clients. When you are considering buying in this sector, as when you are considering any investment, you must do your research. Specifically, in this sector, some key considerations when buying are: • The tenant – Look at the quality of the tenant. Seek a site that has an experienced long-term operator (corporate, multi-site, individual operator) and look for a long lease with options totalling not less than 15 years. Ask whether the centre has strong occupancy, and whether the tenant is financially sound and capable of meeting ongoing lease commitments. Are there any outstanding issues between the tenant and the landlord?
Ask whether the centre has strong occupancy, and whether the tenant is financially sound and capable of meeting ongoing lease commitments. Are there any outstanding issues between the tenant and the landlord?
• The building – What is the age and presentation of the centre like? What condition is the building in? Will it require capital expenditure? If it does, will the amount be significant? Will the centre’s licence be affected by change in regulations and ratios? If so, will it impact the rent or the service’s profitability? Find out the replacement cost of the land and building; get a building and pest inspection done. Find out if there are any outstanding requestions by the department. • Sustainability – Assess the competition from other local centres, and the demographics of the area. Is it an ageing population or a growing younger family catchment? Are there any childcare development applications (DA) in with council? What sort of fees does the centre attract? Assess the service location, visibility and user access; is it in close proximity to schools and business areas? Check the availability and cost of comparative land suitable for a childcare centre. • Yield – What will be the return on investment? Find out the ‘true’ net yield; consider legal costs, stamp duty, GST, land tax, building insurance and other relevant fixed expenses. Generally, yields for child
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Each lender that is in the childcare space has slightly different policies, and I would always recommend that every client work with their finance broker/bank, accountant and solicitor conjunctively before making decisions that could become costly down the track care range from approximately seven per cent to close to 10 per cent, with some rural, remote or distressed centres attracting over 12 per cent. As a general rule, the higher the yield, the higher the risk. Yields should be carefully evaluated; every 0.25 per cent (quarter per cent) can result in sizeable price difference when selling or buying. • Lease – Work out the lease cost per child; that is, $130,000 per annum (lease cost), divided by the number of child places (say 75 places) equals $1733 per child place. Is the rent market above or below? Are the yearly increases consumer price indexed (CPI) or fixed? Are the annual increases noted across all options in the lease? Who pays for building maintenance and air conditioner servicing? When are the market rent reviews? Is there a ratchet clause (a clause that stipulates that the rent can’t be less than the previous year), first right of refusal, et cetera? The value of a childcare business is heavily impacted by the length of remaining tenure. Quality operators should seek additional options to ensure that their business value isn’t diminished. Operators generally like to see 20 years or more reaming, and it’s not uncommon to see new lease negotiations with 30 years or more. As with any investment, the utmost attention must be given to your strategy with finance. Lenders can lend up to a maximum of 70 per cent loan value ratio (LVR) against a childcare centre freehold passive investment. They can also lend to a maximum of 70 per cent LVR for a freehold going concern (that is, when an operator of a childcare centre also owns the freehold, the lender can lend up to 70 per cent LVR against the freehold and going concern valuation). If an operator is seeking finance for a leasehold business, lenders will generally fund a maximum of 50 per cent LVR of the leasehold value. The loan term in this case will also be determined by the terms of the 58 • BELONGING EARLY YEARS JOURNAL • VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 • 2014
lease, and lenders will require a right of entry (ROE) and mortgage over the lease. In either case, to obtain maximum lending exposure, clients will need to meet the lender’s benchmarks for debt service or cover ratio (DSR) and interest cover ratio (ICR). Each lender has different requirements and benchmarks, but, as a general rule, they require 1.5 times DSR (that is, income is 1.5 times that of the debts that are required to be met), and two times ICR (that is, income is two times interest liability). Each lender that is in the childcare space has slightly different policies, and I would always recommend that every client work with their finance broker/bank, accountant and solicitor conjunctively before making decisions that could become costly down the track. There are cost, taxation, finance structuring and other issues to consider. Each of the professionals highlighted will give advice from very different perspectives – the solicitor will consider asset protection, the accountant will consider taxation advantages and possibly asset protection, and the broker and lender will consider ease of transaction, structuring and cost minimisation, et cetera. When all three of these professionals work together, generally we’ll end up with a far better outcome for the client. Regardless of whether you are buying or selling, be sure to seek advice from professionals who specialise in the childcare industry. By dealing with solicitors, accountants, valuers, industry-specific lenders and reputable childcare brokers, you will save considerable time and money. Most importantly, you will be proactively minimising the risk associated with a specialised transaction. For recommendations for any specialist professional services, or further details regarding buying or selling childcare, contact Lincoln Bridge through the Benchmark Childcare Sales office on 1300 366 521, or visit www.childcare4sale.com.au.
finance, business + property
Small business smarts for New South Wales
BY WAYNE GATES
Services offered by the New South Wales Office of the Small Business Commissioner are just what the doctor ordered for childcare centre operators across the state.
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he New South Wales Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) was set up to provide small businesses with practical assistance with their day-to-day operations, as well as with any challenges that arise. It assists childcare centres by: • providing quality business advice and support through its Small Biz Connect program • resolving disputes • making their voice heard within government.
Business advice Have you had time to sit back and assess how your centre is going lately? Speaking to a business adviser can help you view your centre from a new perspective. It can also help you learn new skills. Small Biz Connect business advisers can help develop strategies for promoting your centre’s services, business planning, staff operations or succession planning. They will help you assess your centre from a business perspective. You may provide outstanding childcare, but are you marketing and positioning your centre accordingly? Do you have systems and procedures in place to best manage staff and records?
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Small Biz Connect advisers use a range of new tools that can offer practical guidance and support for centre operators. One of these is Benchmarking.com.au, which creates a customised, detailed financial report that allows operators to see how their business compares to market benchmarks, gives them an idea of how much it could be worth, and compares data from year to year. One of the documented issues within the childcare industry is supply and demand of centres. Another tool available through our program is Bugseye, which can provide valuable insight into viability and opportunities in specific geographic areas. The Small Biz Connect program offers quality, faceto-face business advisory services, is highly subsidised and has a network of business advisers across the state. Small Biz Connect services are made even easier to access by the Small Biz Bus program – a mobile advisory and information service. The bus travels across New South Wales connecting small business operators with business advisers in their local communities, at little or no cost to them.
finance, business + property
If a dispute needs formal mediation, an independent professional mediator with a wide range of commercial experience will be appointed to hold a formal mediation at a nominal cost Dispute resolution
Speaking up for small business in government
As a childcare centre operator, you may be having difficulties in resolving disputes. The Office of the Small Business Commissioner’s Dispute Resolution Unit offers services to any type of small business, regardless of whether the dispute is with another business, a government agency or a local council.
Through Small Biz Connect’s Advocacy Unit, the Office can work closely with individual childcare centres and industry associations like Childcare NSW, which have identified systemic issues in dealing with government agencies that are negatively impacting on the business. It then works with these agencies to either remove regulatory burdens and onerous administrative practices, or to simplify processes to make it easier for you to run your centre.
In the first instance, centres can get advice from officers on any disputes they may be involved in, via a phone assistance line. These officers are formally trained to mediate commercial disputes; and if they are able to resolve a dispute informally, there is no cost to your business. Mediation is very successful, with around 90 per cent of all matters referred to us being resolved. If a dispute needs formal mediation, an independent professional mediator with a wide range of commercial experience will be appointed to hold a formal mediation at a nominal cost. The Office of the Small Business Commissioner doesn’t give legal advice, and it doesn’t help one side beat the other. Instead, the Office works to help both parties find a practical solution to the problem.
Wayne Gates is the Director of Small Biz Connect. For information about how to take advantage of these services, visit www.smallbusiness.gov.au or call their assistance line on 1300 795 534. Connect with them on social media to keep up with their latest initiatives and get other information relevant to your business. NSW Small Business Commissioner @NSWSmallBizCom Wayne Gates will be speaking at the Early Years Exhibition & Conference at Rosehill Gardens & Event Centre, Sydney on Saturday 15 March at 10.00 – 10.45am.
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finance, business business++property property finance,
Meet and exceed your expectations
C
hildcare services constantly look for new ways to streamline operations while meeting and exceeding National Quality Framework (NQF) requirements. This means reviewing current processes within their service and looking for innovations to save time and money within the business. Over the last few years, there has been an array of online products delivered to the market of varying capabilities to assist with this. One of the key daily tasks for educators is their management of child portfolios and daily documentation of a child’s development.
Jodie Teran, Education and Compliance Manager, Active Kids Centres of Excellence, has adopted an online portfolio management tool called QKeYLM. QKeYLM provides educators with tools to manage journaling, planning and curriculum. QKeYLM allows a service to manage areas within the NQF, supplying them with a framework to meet and exceed expectations. Additionally, parents are able to access their children’s information through the Parent Portal; My Family Lounge.
with the children. The parents also love the access to their child’s documentation.
Has your staff adopted the technology? Absolutely, everyone is content in using the system and they have increased the speed of doing their documenting.
This is what Jodie had to say… How important is technology in running your centres?
Are there improvements in the quality and consistency of your staff’s work?
It’s vital. We rely on it to communicate with parents, educate children, develop ideas and create resources. Technology has helped to streamline previous laborious processes.
Has online portfolios helped your services? They’ve helped us to create and extend upon journals and observations in real time. We can add photos or descriptions, save, and then come back to these later. Using iPads also allows us to do this while in the space
Definitely, staff are able to consistently complete their work, and with the inclusion of examples from Early Years Learning Framework, it’s also helped them to improve their terminology. As these products continue to develop for the sector, we will see further improvements in time saving and efficiency, as well as provide tools to educators to better deal with the ongoing requirements for a centre.
Request a demonstration! www.qktech.com.au
1300 367 770
sales@qktech.com.au
Online Portfolios and Journals Program Planning and streamlining a centres documenting Parent Portal with access to photos, artwork, Room Plan, and Curriculum online Group & individual observations
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finance, finance,business business ++ property property
The secret of successful childcare businesses: integration and automation
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or childcare centre owners across Australia, the definition of business success is much more complex than simply turning a profit at the end of each month. As a business owner in the highly regulated childcare industry, achieving ‘success’ for your business also means complying with increasing amounts of red tape, meeting staff-ratio standards, obeying national curriculum requirements, keeping your parent community happy and, of course, outperforming your many competitors. All of this adds up to a highly competitive operating environment in which only the most savvy business operators can thrive. But, despite all of these pressures, many childcare centres across the country are not just surviving – they are thriving. So what is the point of difference for these successful centres? Why are they able to keep up with increasing staffing costs, administration and time-intensive compliance work and turn an enviable profit at the same time? The answer lies in the software they’re using to manage their childcare centre’s operations – and how skillful they are at using this software to lighten their workload, decrease their operating costs and increase their profit margins.
The most successful centres are integrating and automating How many different pieces of software do the staff in your childcare centre need to use on a daily basis to get the job done? How much time do they spend jumping between a number of different software systems to manually complete simple administrative tasks, such as processing payments from parents? (This last one is a trick question – if you’re still manually processing payments from parents at all, you’re already a step behind your most successful competitors.) If you’re using lots of different pieces of software to manage the administration workload in your childcare centre, you need to investigate whether you can get them all integrated into one easy-to-use central operating system. This will allow you to automate more administrative tasks through one system only – consequently reducing the strain that manual administration places on your
quality standards and profitability. For example, our research tells us that automated parent payments (such as direct debit and BPAY) can reduce manual payments administration by as much as 95 per cent. That’s why the most successful childcare centres are already using automated payments as their default payment method for all parent payments.
Unlock the hidden value of integration and automation in your childcare centre Your most successful competitors probably already have their various pieces of software all nicely integrated into one central childcare centre management system – and consequently, they are cutting down on their manual administration time, staying ahead of reporting demands and increasing their profit margins. A recent case study shows an OSHC centre cutting their banking administration time down to just five minutes each day.
Automate parent payments to cut your bad debts in half If you’ve read our article about ‘Improving the way cash flows through your childcare business’ (www.blog.ezidebit.com.au), you’re probably already up to speed on why it’s important to receive parent payments fast – preferably via an automated payments solution, such as direct debit. The right payments automation system can potentially cut your bad debts in half by automatically processing parent payments on the day that they are due. Plus, the time you spend researching and implementing the right automated payment solution will be an investment for your childcare business – many of our clients realise their return on investment in the first month after switching on our automated payments software.
Know your enemy When it comes to getting the upper hand over your competitors, knowledge is power. Outmanoeuvre your competition with the latest stats and trends in the Australian childcare industry available on www.blog.ezidebit.com.au.
Don’t get left behind Scan the QR code to access NQF & industry updates Just another way Ezidebit supports Australian Kindergartens and Childcare Centres
www.ezidebit.com.au BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME VOLUME33NUMBER NUMBER11••2014 2014••63 X BELONGING
finance, business business++property property finance,
Earn more during your lunch break
Y
our lunch break is one of the best times to tackle errands and get through the items on your to-do list. So why not use that time to squeeze in a few steps that can help you earn more for your retirement?
3. Put more in one place
Here are three things to tick off on your next break. They’re quick, easy and can make a big difference in the long run.
• Consider the benefits (like insurance) of each of your funds, to work out which fund suits your needs best.
1. Get super smart
• HESTA members can visit hesta.com.au/superfinder directly to find any lost super – and roll other super accounts into HESTA at hesta.com.au/rollover.
Find out how much super you’ll need and how to take charge of your finances. • Use the online super calculator at hesta.com.au/calculator to find out how much extra you’ll need to put away each week. • Learn how to do more with your money using the online education program, Money101, at hesta.com.au/money101. 2. Boost your balance When you’ve figured out how much extra you’d like to put towards your super, you’ll need to decide how you’d like to do it. And there are three ways to go: • Talk to your employer about salary sacrifice for super and they’ll deduct it directly from your pretax pay. • Call your super fund to set up ongoing direct debits from your bank account directly into your account. HESTA members can call us on 1800 813 327. • HESTA members with a little spare cash for super can make a one-off contribution via BPAY, Member Online at hesta.com.au/mol or with a deposit slip from hesta.com.au/deposit.
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Once you’ve sorted out your contributions, consolidate your super, to give your balance another boost.
• If you’re not a HESTA member, visit ato.gov.au/superseeker to find out if you have any lost super in your name. To find out more about how to boost your super balance, HESTA members can give our team a call on 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au. With more than 25 years of experience and $25 billion in assets, more people in health and community services choose HESTA for their super. Issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL No. 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321. This information is of a general nature. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. Third-party services are provided by parties other than H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd and terms and conditions apply. H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd does not recommend, endorse or accept any responsibility for the products and services offered by third parties or any liability for any loss or damage incurred as a result of services provided by third parties. You should exercise your own judgment about the products and services being offered. For more information, free call 1800 813 327 or visit hesta.com.au for a copy of a Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA products.
finance, business + property
The new face of childcare: a look at the future of the industry BY ROBYN DUGGAN
The childcare sector is a $10.3-billion industry aided by increasing government assistance for parents looking to put their children in care.
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he future of childcare looks bright. Demand is strong and is expected to grow at an average rate of 4.1 per cent over the five years through 2017–18 to reach an estimated industry value of $12.6 billion, mainly due to continued government support and a mini baby boom. In 2012/13, segmentation of the industry was as follows:
Type of care
Industry share (%)
Long day care centres
56
Outside school hours care
32
Family day care
9
Occasional day care
3
Following the collapse of ABC Learning, we have seen a significant rise in the number of not-for-profit centres, driven by the continual downward pressure on profit margins for operators. This trend was accelerated by Goodstart’s acquisition of 678 former ABC Learning centres, which led to an increase in the market share of long day care services that are communitymanaged or not‐for‐profit, from 22 to 34 per cent.
The growth of not-for-profit operators, which looks to be the defining story in the long term, is expected to continue as new government regulation mandating higher staff-to-child ratios and higher standards of staff qualifications place greater pressure on already slim profit margins.
Key risk areas for operators Government regulations New national standards for childcare centres, which were introduced on 1 January 2012, led to renewed fears of centre closures and cost increases, with some private operators claiming fees will increase by 20 per cent this year alone. The most demanding component of the framework is the higher staff-to-child ratio. The new National Quality Standards, which are part of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (NQF), also require childcare staff to be appropriately qualified. As of 1 January 2014, at least half the staff working at centre-based services with preschool-aged children or under must have, or be working towards, a diplomalevel education and care qualification. The remaining staff members are required to have, or be actively working towards, at least a Certificate III level in early childhood education and care. In addition, centrebased services are required to have access to or attendance of an early childhood teacher for at least 20 per cent of the service’s operating hours, increasing up to full-time for centres with 25–59 approved places.
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More highly qualified employees will demand higher compensation and, coupled with an expected wage growth of two to three per cent in the next few years, these new regulations are expected to place significant downward pressure on profit margins.
Increasing rental costs Adding to the pressure put on childcare operators are increasing property values and rents. There are rising fears that childcare leases that are about to expire will not be renewed, as landlords seek to boost returns from their properties by either selling the site or charging commercial rents. A rental avenue that private operators have used in the past to minimise costs is the use of council premises; however, due to financial duress, councils that have traditionally charged childcare operators low rents are now asking for at least $35,000 per year, and are also considering other options to increase their revenue, such as tendering out the premises to other providers. Rental and holding costs of owned property are already major costs for childcare centres, with rent constituting approximately 11.5 per cent of revenue. Increasing rental costs will continue to be problematic for many childcare operators.
Key drivers for child care success In our experience, the key success factors for a childcare business are: • ability to take advantage of government subsidies – These subsidies are crucial to the viability of many childcare centres. • compliance with government regulations – Industry operators must be accredited by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and continue to meet the National Quality Standards. • easy access for clients – Location is an important factor; supply and demand factors affect occupancy rates and the fees that can be charged. • optimum capacity utilisation – To be profitable, a centre must have an occupancy rate of at least 70 per cent and be able to offer the correct mix of age groups to meet local area demand. • ability to attract local support – Marketing skills are important in filling places at childcare centres. Having and maintaining a good public reputation ensures growth and repeat customers.
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Is not-for-profit the only way forward? The competitiveness and viability of childcare operators in the long term will depend on their ability to comply with the NQF while using government subsidies and optimising capacity utilisation. Not-for-profit centre operators will be in a better position to absorb the additional staff costs associated with the NQF and any rent adjustments imposed by landlords. Private operators, who are already under pressure with marginal profitability, will struggle to meet the requirements of the new operating standards. We are, however, seeing a new wave of operators entering the market that are cashed-up and looking for acquisitions to build market share. Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed G8 Education Limited has grown by over 100 per cent in the past year. G8 owns 252 centres in Australia and Singapore, and manages a further 48 centres in Singapore. Affinity Education Group Limited was listed on the ASX in December 2013. Affinity owns 57 childcare centres in Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, and manages another 11 centres. Stirling Early Education is also looking to raise funds with a view to listing by June 2014. While the ghosts of ABC still linger, it appears that these new listed entrants to the industry are imposing some strict criteria on what they will pay for centres. It also appears that each of the new players is looking to only grow by acquisition – there does not appear to be any intention to build their own centres. With growth, there is opportunity; and some operators may take the opportunity to cash out. Robyn Duggan is a Partner at Ferrier Hodgson. Visit www.ferrierhodgson.com.au
finance, business + property
finance, business + property
What would happen if your salary stopped? Let’s face it – we all want to enjoy life, however life isn’t risk free. Whether it’s driving a car or travelling overseas, the unexpected can happen at any time.
W
hile most of us insure our car and home, the one thing that we often forget to insure is our most important asset – ourselves and our ability to earn money! Income protection, sometimes known as salary continuance, can help you cover your day-to-day expenses if you were not able to work for an extended period of time. Without enough cover, an accident or illness may mean that you lose your income, and of course, even if it’s only temporary, this could lead to financial difficulties for you and your family. The great news is that Child Care Super automatically provides you with income protection cover that can help replace your lost income if you are unable to work due to injury or illness. Our members enjoy some of the most competitive rates in the market that provide great value for money because of our considerable buying power. While many other funds are increasing their insurance premiums, we’ve been able to provide our members with even more cover for the same low cost per unit. You can check out exactly how much cover you need, increase your cover or apply for a reduced waiting period by completing an Insurance Alteration form at childcaresuper.com.au.
Case Study: Amanda See how it helped get Amanda back on her feet: Amanda, 34, had been enjoying a wonderful weekend with her husband and two children until she fell off her bicycle. Unfortunately, she landed awkwardly, badly breaking both her arm and collarbone. Luckily, Amanda had taken advantage of Child Care Super’s option to reduce her income protection cover’s waiting period to just 30 days. This meant that despite having no annual leave after her holiday, her income protection through Child Care Super was able to replace part of her income until she could return to work three months later. Child Care Super’s default income protection cover provides a maximum two-year benefit of $2200 per month for a member aged 24* or over who works in a standard occupation. A member with an occupation classed as ‘white collar’ or ‘professional’ will receive a higher monthly benefit. *Younger members below the age of 24 will receive a reduced benefit, please see the pds at childcaresuper.com.au/pds for more details.
We’re here to help. If you have any questions about the insurance cover that Child Care Super offers, you can speak to a Child Care Super consultant over the phone. Alternatively, your local consultant can visit your service to answer your queries about insurance, superannuation and the level of contributions
that is right for you. They’ll even help you with any paperwork that may need to be completed – it’s a personal touch from the super plan that understands early learning. 1800 060 215 childcaresuper.com.au/insurance
There are some differences between insurance cover held inside and outside of super that you may need to weigh up. For this reason, it is often good to seek professional financial advice before making any decisions. This document contains general advice only. It is not intended to constitute the provision of advice tailored to your needs. Before acting on the advice you should consider its appropriateness having regard for your objectives, financial situation and needs. Before making a decision about any financial product you should consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) in deciding whether to acquire or continue to hold the product. You can obtain a copy of the PDS by calling 1800 060 215. You may also wish to consult a licensed, or appropriately authorised, financial planner. Insurance cover is issued by MetLife Insurance Limited. ABN 75 004 274 882. AFS Licence No. 238096. This information is intended as a summary only. You should refer to the PDS and Member Guide for a full description. Guild Trustee Services Pty Limited. ABN 84 068 826 728. AFS Licence No. 233815. RSE Licence No. L0000611 as Trustee for Child Care Super (part of the Guild Retirement Fund). Fund Registration No. R1000030. ABN 22 599 554 834.
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Putting management software to work
T
he introduction of the Child Care Management System (CCMS) in 2008/2009 was intended to reduce the administrative workload for childcare services across Australia by providing parents’ entitlement information directly to the service’s software, thus alleviating the previous need to manually input CCB and JFA assessments. But unfortunately for most services, CCMS has meant an increase in workload, as their software has failed to take advantage of the many opportunities for workload minimisation that CCMS provides; instead it has often added new steps for the user to guide their software through the CCMS processes. Ian Hinson from School Care Software, producers of Kids Wizz, says, ‘We believe that CCMS software should fully manage the CCMS side of things so that childcare services can concentrate on their core inputs, like
entering parents’ payments and ensuring that the attendance lists are correct. Kids Wizz achieves this by automatically doing things such as creating and formalising enrolments, claiming JFA on attendance records, reporting vacancies, and creating IS Case claims. It also correctly handles backdated changes without adding steps for the user. For example, if a user goes back and deletes a booking from a past week, the program will recalculate the fees, cancel the original CCMS attendance record, and submit a new one without the user having to do anything else at all. I’m sure that childcare industry professionals expect that this is how CCMS software should be, but too often have found themselves with software that is time consuming and error prone. Certainly Kids Wizz users benefit from all the opportunities and efficiencies that CCMS software can possibly provide.’
If you’re not using Kids Wizz you’re working too hard.
www.kidswizz.com.au
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finance, business + property
Preparing for the end of the financial year and beyond
BY PATRICK FLANAGAN AND BRAD LOFTUS
How do you ensure that you are best placed to save money? Effective management of information can save a business significant amounts of time and money, helping owners to manage their cash flows and make sound business decisions, especially in times of uncertainty. Poor management of information is often a key factor in the failure of a business.
S
ound financial and information management, including good record keeping, holds many advantages, such as:
• making it easier to understand how the business is performing • helping with making good business decisions • making it easier for businesses to meet their tax obligations. In recent years, the rise of web-based accounting solutions has given small and medium-sized businesses owners the ability to access accurate, virtually real-time insight into the performance of their businesses. Services such as Xero and Saasu have challenged the traditional market and prompted a change to allow businesses to link their internet banking to their accounting system, in order to provide a daily feed of transactions at no extra cost. Along with setting aside some time each day or week to maintain the business’s records, or enlisting the help of a quality bookkeeper, this technology is helping business owners and operators to make better
decisions and to prevent an overload of paperwork during tax time. It is also important to remember that record keeping is a legal requirement. If businesses are not keeping the right records, they can be liable to penalties. The law states that records must be kept for a minimum of five years for non-companies, and eight years for companies. These records can either be on paper or stored electronically.
Tax planning Without a good-quality accounting and record keeping system, a business will be unaware of its performance, and therefore have little idea of its forthcoming income tax obligations. Accountants see countless examples of instances where business owners have reinvested or spent their pre-tax profits, and have therefore left no funds for the business to pay its tax on the lodgement of its tax return. Maintaining good records and engaging your adviser in tax planning discussions are key steps in avoiding this situation.
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finance, business + property
While business owners should have strategies in place all year round to reduce tax liabilities, as business owners approach 30 June, they should be mindful of important steps that they can take to manage their businesses, to ensure that they do not pay unnecessary tax.
Six key opportunities for centre owners to reduce their tax liabilities are: 1. Employee superannuation The minimum superannuation that business owners must pay is 9.25 per cent of each eligible employee’s ‘ordinary time earnings’. Payments must be made at least four times a year by 28 days after the end of each quarter, including the quarter ending 30 June 2014. Business owners can generally claim a tax deduction for superannuation contributions that are paid on time; however, superannuation is one expense that can’t be claimed until it is paid, and cannot be claimed as a tax deduction at all if it is paid late. This means that in order to claim their June superannuation expenses as deductions in the 2013/2014 financial year, business owners need to pay the contributions before 30 June. Given that 30 June falls on a Monday this year, payment should be made during the week before to ensure that deductions are not delayed until next year.
2. Personal superannuation Like employee superannuation, business owners also need to pay their personal superannuation contributions prior to 30 June to get a deduction. The superannuation environment is very attractive given the lower rate of tax that superannuation funds pay, and the concessional treatment that benefits receive when paid as pensions in retirement. Therefore, business owners should be engaging their relevant advisers to understand how superannuation planning can benefit them today and in the long run.
3. Bad debts These should be written off prior to 30 June to be eligible for a deduction. Operators should review their lists of outstanding fees, and write off anything that is not collectable.
4. Bring forward expenses Do some forward planning and look at expenditure for the months following the end of the financial year. There may be some expenses that will be incurred, but would be better brought forward. Consider items like training, repairs and maintenance, or prepaying some interest.
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5. Shareholder loans Make sure that loans are set up properly or repaid by the end of the financial year. Otherwise, business owners could end up with deemed dividends and some unexpected tax.
6. Trust distributions If owners are operating their businesses from trusts, they need to make sure that the trustee decides how the profit will be distributed prior to 30 June. This decision should be recorded and signed off before the end of the financial year. Where appropriate steps are not taken prior to the end of the financial year, owners could find that their profits are taxed at the top marginal tax rate of 46.5 per cent.
By being proactive, you can ensure that you know of the obstacles that lay on the road ahead, and you can even take steps to ensure that these obstacles are less significant and easier to navigate.
Future uncertainty One potential obstacle on the road ahead for the sector is the Productivity Commission Inquiry currently being undertaken by the federal government. The objective of the federal government’s inquiry is to review the current funding and service requirements of the early childhood education sector in light of the effect that they have on the standard of education and care being provided, workforce participation and flexibility of access to services. This is providing the sector with an element of uncertainty and is affecting how centre owners and operators are positioning their centres and planning for the future. Given the inquiry’s focus on funding, which is currently in the form of fee subsidies (business revenue), this is especially important. A smart business will be prepared when facing uncertainty in the future flow of their income. If owners/operators are not organising themselves now to gain a better understanding of their businesses and current performance, then they will not be able to react quickly and confidently when the recommendations of the inquiry are announced and policy is implemented. Not knowing how to react, or even a delay in reacting, could have a significant financial impact on an owner’s investment. Patrick Flanagan is a Director, and Brad Loftus is Manager of Business Solutions, at RSM Bird Cameron, Sydney. www.rsmi.com.au.
finance, finance,business business ++ property property
How much tax will you be paying this year?
R
SM Bird Cameron was able to reduce one client’s tax bill by $30,000 in 2013.
Effective information management and tax planning was the key to freeing up this future cash flow, removing the client’s uncertainty and enabling them to make important business decisions with confidence. As we enter the last quarter of the financial year, it is crucial that you are well organised so that you can make important tax and resource planning decisions. We have been working with this particular key child care client for the last six years, and during this time, we have watched their group of centres grow into a mature, profitable business. As a by-product of this growth, it was obvious that in the 2013 financial year the business was going to have its first significant tax bill for some time. Our client understood that business success and income tax go hand in hand, but the big questions were, ‘How much will it be?’ and ‘When will I have to pay it?’
The client runs a good accounting system, which enabled us to extract accurate information quickly. Therefore, in May last year, we were able to provide them with an accurate estimate that answered these questions. This removed a significant amount of anxiety. We then took this opportunity to reflect on the projected results and consider what actions could be taken before 30 June to reduce this estimate further. Through a review of their structure and income flows, and smart planning of superannuation payments, we were able to reduce their 2013 tax bill by approximately $30,000. By freeing up $30,000 in their future cash flow, and removing their uncertainty, we were able to help the client make important business decisions for the coming year relating to pricing, staff remuneration and capital expenditure with confidence. If you would like to find out how you can be more proactive in the future of your business, please contact Patrick Flanagan or Brad Loftus at RSM Bird Cameron on 1800 101 296.
RSM health+
www.rsmi.com.au/pharmacy 1800 101 296
Child Care
Build a better child care business.
Looking for an accountant who knows your industry? RSM Bird Cameron can help you make important business decisions with confidence. Contact us today for sound tax planning & information management advice for your child care business Ph: 1800 101 296
BELONGINGEARLY EARLYYEARS YEARSJOURNAL JOURNAL••VOLUME VOLUME33NUMBER NUMBER11••2014 2014••71 X BELONGING
finance, business business++property property finance,
Keeping it straight forward IntegraPay recently announced its integration with Centrecalc and Heartbeat4Kidz software.
D
avid Urry, the straight-shooting General Manager of recurring direct debit and e-commerce payment solutions company IntegraPay has been a familiar face in the electronic payments industry since 1998, helping childcare centres streamline cash flow and operational efficiency. It has been over 15 years since David processed that first direct debit for a childcare centre, which was heavily in debt. At a time when there was no automated payment option for parents, payments were being collected manually, which resulted in centre staff chasing over 75 per cent of their parents each week. ‘When automatic direct debit was introduced, staff saw an immediate change in behaviour. Parents loved the convenience of direct debit, and as a result, the centre’s outstanding payments and debt levels were virtually eliminated. Staff stopped playing debt collector and their focus returned back to the children, where it should be,’ David says. David continues to explain how direct debit brought along other benefits such as a security advantage for the centre. ‘Not every centre offered eftpos and credit card, so the only options were cash or cheque – which meant regular trips to the bank.’ ‘It was commonplace for centres to increase insurance to protect large amounts of money on site. In all honesty, directors spent more time minding money than minding the children.’ Today, as General Manager of IntegraPay, David continues his close association with the industry and has just completed integration with Centrecalc and Heartbeat4Kidz software. ‘We are very excited to be working with Centrecalc and Heartbeat4Kidz, and in turn helping to provide the parents at these centres with a more convenient and secure payment option.’ As a father of two young boys under three, and as a business owner, David has applied firsthand experience to improve the entire direct debit process for the parent and the centre.
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David Urry, General Manager of IntegraPay
‘As a parent, I wanted three things: a quick and secure sign up, a reminder before the payment occurred and easily identifiable information on my credit card statement.’ ‘This led to our team developing the no signature, real-time, paperless eDDR (electronic direct debit request); SMS and email notifications; and an exclusive card payment process that ensures that the centre’s name appears on customer card statements – which helps to eliminate claims.’ But the centre doesn’t miss out either, as David continues. ‘A major focus is to increase centre cash flow, but this cannot be achieved when funds are being held by a third party; so IntegraPay developed Faster Settlement, which enables the next-day settlement of payments.’ The story doesn’t stop here for IntegraPay, as the company continues to create time-saving solutions. Contact IntegraPay today: 1300 592 283 admin@integrapay.com.au.
You didn’t get into child care to play debt collector...
that’s why we’re here
It’s really concerning how much time can be spent chasing late child care fees. Especially when it’s time you could be spending with the children.
Now fully integrated with:
Because we have a better solution Apart from IntegraPay making it more convenient for your parents to pay, you get to choose when they pay and from the account of their choice. It’s really that simple. The IntegraPay service is as easy as…123 1. Parents complete online direct debit request form 2. Payment commences on the start date at the selected frequency 3. Cleared payments are transferred to your account daily With IntegraPay you also get secure, online access to make amendments to customer details in real time. You can alter payments immediately with no additional fee. IntegraPay is a solution that can be set up to operate at no cost to your business. Ask us how.
Get Under Control, Sign Up Today! Call 1300 592 283 IntegraPay is licensed by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) to deal in a financial product. AFS License No: 418105.
IntegraPay.com.au
human resources resourcesmanagement management human
Committed to recruitment
O
ur mission is to provide a unique service for each individual client based on their specific staffing requirements. Our client partnerships are based on the fundamentals of mutual respect and open communication. To WhiteCollarBlue, service is first and foremost, and we aim to position ourselves as the people solutions provider of choice. With a personal approach, strong attention to detail and innovative recruitment practices, we guarantee to provide people solutions that work, so that you can focus on growing your business and your brand, leaving you to concentrate on providing highquality education and care. We are ambitious for our people, and passionate about creating value for our clients.
WhiteCollarBlue is able to offer practical advice, backed by our childcare industry knowledge and experience.
Top reasons for utilising WhiteCollarBlue for your permanent and temporary staffing needs: • Large and varied candidate pool: we find and develop relationships with the highest quality of candidates, all with skills, qualifications and experience. • Outsourcing recruitment allows you to focus on your core business development, and training and retaining your current staff members. • Specialist recruiters with childcare industry experience and knowledge: ongoing advice and relevant market expertise, ensuring that suitable staff are presented to you. • Thorough screening and reference checking procedures, skills testing and other assessment tools: improving the chances of making effective hiring decisions. • Time- and cost-saving benefits: saving you marketing dollars, and the time and effort required to source, recruit, screen and reference check quality candidates, who meet and reflect your service’s core values and philosophy. WhiteCollarBlue acts swiftly, with a personal approach for both clients and candidates, ensuring that our candidates have access to a variety of opportunities, and are supported throughout the entire recruitment process. We make certain that all of our exceptional candidates are provided with the opportunity to increase their skills and experience in either permanent or temporary roles. Our point of difference is in maintaining that our candidates are matched with employers based on both parties’ values. Client testimonial: ‘I found the childcare recruitment team at WhiteCollarBlue to be professional and efficient, with knowledge of the early childhood industry. They acted promptly with both my temporary and permanent staffing needs; they have continuously provided me with great, quality candidates.’ www.whitecollarblue.com.au Tel: 1300 559 662
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human resources management
Go forth and motivate BY VICTORIA SHARP
Is your team feeling the back-to-work blues? Try building a positive culture of encouragement and praise.
C
hristmas holidays have been and gone, and some people can have trouble warming up to the new work year. How do you make your team feel motivated as they begin the year? As part of your educators’ roles, they motivate, encourage and praise the actions of their children. But are your staff members being motivated and inspired to work? What are you doing to cultivate a positive workplace culture? Motivation is something that we know works and is an essential aspect of managing a team. As employers, we are often quick to point out when an educator demonstrates bad behaviour or if we do not agree with their teaching style; however, are you remembering to encourage, motivate and praise their positive actions? If you are, you’ll notice that employees remain motivated to keep up the good work. I’ve listed some very easy steps to motivate staff that you can start applying straight away – as soon as you’ve finished reading this article!
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Victoria Sharp, Director, Buzz Childcare Recruitment
Verbal encouragement, and be specific Everyone likes to be noticed and encouraged, just like your team does for the children in your care. You can create more positive actions in the workplace with directed praise, such as, ‘That was great, I really liked your approach in that group time’; or, ‘Well done on guiding Jonny’s behaviour – that wasn’t easy, but what a great outcome.’ Your praise will sound more meaningful to your staff when you use specific examples. By praising the action, as in my examples above, instead of a quick ‘Well done’, you are encouraging self-confidence, which invites creativity and develops intrinsic motivation, as opposed to true praise, which is known to foster a dependence on needing someone else to tell you that you did a good job. Be honest with your verbal encouragement; an employee will know when you are being fake and just providing lip service as part of your role. Also, take note of your body language – don’t make a passing comment; go up to your employee, or pull them aside and address them directly. It has much more impact.
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human resources management
Create impact by seizing the moment Don’t delay your praise. When an employee goes above and beyond their role, give your positive feedback quickly before the momentum is lost – you want your employee to stay motivated in what they are doing.
Public recognition You can double the impact of your praise and recognise your staff efforts at your next team meeting. Be specific and detail why you are giving them the recognition – it’s a learning opportunity for your team. Why not introduce a peer recognition program? Peer-to-peer recognition is a great way to motivate your team. Not only does it increase levels of positivity in the workplace, it also reduces the need for all the praise to come from room leaders or centre directors. Moreover, it has the double impact of demonstrating authenticity.
Ask your team for advice If you are creating a positive workplace, then you have respect for your team’s abilities and experience. Take a look at your employees: who is having the greatest impact as a team member, or who liaises well with children’s parents? When you notice something positive about a member of your team, make sure you talk to them about it. Let them share their experience and knowledge with you. As a centre director, you may spend the majority of your time off the floor, so you may need to ask your team for advice or feedback regarding details of specific children or families. This really shows that you appreciate what they are doing, and that you respect their expertise.
What educators want I’ve talked about how to create a positive workplace culture, and its motivational benefits, but what do educators say when asked what really motivates them? As a recruitment agency, we ask this question to our candidates as part of the interview process. Over the last six months, we’ve compiled a list of the top answers to this question: • ongoing professional development to keep skills and knowledge of the early childhood sector relevant and up-to-date. • approachable room leaders and directors who are hands-on and involved in the centre • an emergent environment where new ideas for activities, programming and planning are welcomed and encouraged
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• prioritising non-contact programming and planning time to ensure quality programs are developed • employers providing praise when they see a staff member do something well – simple, but very effective. Positive reinforcement isn’t just for children! • workplaces that foster strong relationships with the families by proactively asking them for their input into programming, to help create a sense of community • directors who organise team bonding activities outside of work hours, both social and work-related • directors and managers who lead by example; they leave personal problems at the door because staff can feel their frustration and disorganisation, and feed off this energy • centres with good staff-to-children ratios – the day will run smoothly with the correct staff in each room at all times! There are some very interesting points in this list. Importantly, it confirms that centre directors, supervisors, room leaders or those in a position of management, and their actions, have a major influence on motivation. It also confirms that educators want an environment where they are encouraged and respected.
Get motivating Try some of the tips outlined above to invigorate your staff and motivate them this year. Get into the spirit, and spread the praise! As early childhood educators, we know that a positive work culture will also benefit the children in our care. Victoria Sharp is the director of Buzz Childcare Recruitment, a boutique recruitment agency. www.buzzrecruitment.com.au
play areas + sustainable practice Children Watering the Garden at Bright Start Preschool, (Bright Start Preschool, 2013).
Little Green Steps – our journey BY WYONG SHIRE COUNCIL’S COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND PLANNING UNIT
What started as a small sustainability program to support early childhood educators and facilities on the New South Wales Central Coast is now being adopted in centres around the country.
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osford City and Wyong Shire Councils were continually being approached by local educators for a sustainability program and resources to use with their children. As this was a common request across the two local government areas, staff developed a partnership approach and sought funding from the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW DECC) to create Little Green Steps in 2004. Staff began working with 40 local childcare centres and preschools to develop sustainability programs and support educators when communicating sustainability messages to young children. In the beginning, feedback from the educators indicated that sustainability was a very technical term and a hard topic to introduce to young children. Another issue was accessing information to support staff ideas and engaging families in their journey. Wyong Council’s Community Education Team Leader, Danielle Hargreaves, says that staff developed sustainability resource kits and professional development workshops, and provided networks to support educators.
‘We introduced a hard-copy newsletter that gave the services the information they needed at a time that suited them. ‘The program experienced enormous success and attracted interest from other environmental educators across the state,’ says Mrs Hargreaves. The councils received more funding from NSW DECC in 2006 to showcase this ‘best practice’ program by evaluating, promoting and providing information about the development of Little Green Steps to environmental educators from other councils and preschools at a national level. ‘Feedback on the program and resources developed was overwhelmingly positive, with many services recommending further development of the program,’ says Mrs Hargreaves.
A LL PLAY
‘As Little Green Steps was proving popular, we created a how-to manual called ‘Climbing Little Green Steps’ to assist early childhood educators and environmental/ sustainability educators
EQUIPMENT AUSTRALIA
HEAD OFFICE AND FACTORY 56 BRUNEL ROAD, SEAFORD Equipment Australia VICTORIA, 3198 TELEPHONE (03) 9786 8133 Head Office and Factory FAX (03) 9786 8601 56 Brunel Road, Seaford EMAIL sales@allplay.com.au www.allplay.com.au Victoria 3198
Tel: (03) 9786 8133 Fax: (03) 9786 8601 email: sales@allplay.com.au
www.allplay.com.au
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play areas + sustainable practice
Last year, we conducted a review that showed that educators continue to use resource kits, and find professional development opportunities invaluable from other government departments to develop sustainability programs. ‘The document was unique in that it took in a practical and multifaceted approach when demonstrating the steps to be taken to promote sustainability in childcare services.’ Because many early childhood centres were introducing sustainability into their services, Little Green Steps became nationally recognised as one of the best practice sustainability programs in early childhood and environmental education sectors. In 2012, the Australian Association for Environmental Education, Western Australian Chapter, was successful in gaining a grant to run a 12-month pilot of Little Green Steps in three not-for-profit childcare centres in the cities of Canning, Gosnells and Armadale. Several Councils across New South Wales are also using Little Green Steps as a model.
To date, more than 100 centres across the New South Wales Central Coast continue to use the Little Green Steps resources. ‘Last year, we conducted a review that showed that educators continue to use resource kits, and find professional development opportunities invaluable,’ says Mrs Hargreaves. ‘We continue to host two professional development workshops annually. These opportunities also offer a valuable time for educators to network with their peers, to view what other early childhood services are implementing, and to discuss ideas, issues and needs with council staff. ‘Interestingly, newsletters are still popular with Central Coast educators, but we are always looking at fresh ways of delivering this information.’ Through the introduction of the National Quality Standards and the Early Years Learning Framework,
continued on page 80 Little Green Steps Resources, (Wyong Shire Council, 2014)
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play areas + sustainable practice
play areas + sustainable practice
Safe and hygienic sandpits for children
H
ygienic Sandpits Formula is a specially formulated solution made from biodegradable ingredients. Its content is 100 per cent safe for children and ensures that they gain the best experience when playing in the sandpit. Using Hygienic Sandpits Formula keeps sandpits free from bacteria and unwanted surprises; for example: cat faeces, birds’ droppings and microorganisms.
Why do I need Hygienic Sandpits Formula? Spraying Hygienic Sandpits Formula regularly in your sandpit will:
Frequently asked questions. How often do I have to use Hygienic Sandpits Formula? For heavily trafficked areas used by cats, it is recommended to spray on a daily basis until you have built an environment to stop cats from entering. For general maintenance, a light spray is required on a weekly basis. Why should I spray my sandpit?
• protect our children from bacteria
Cat faeces are a potential risk for children, as they can contain:
• prevent MRSA (methiallin resistant staphylococcus aurous) from sandpits
• cutaneous larva migrans – hookworm or eggs of parasites, which can penetrate a person’s skin.
• sanitise and disinfect sandpit • repel unwanted cats from using the sandpit as a kitty litter • keep sandpit safe. Important: maintaining the sandpit recurrently will get rid of all the bacteria that is invisible to the naked eye.
Symptoms: red, intensely itchy eruption. • toxoplasmosis – parasite that causes mild flu symptoms, which affects children with weak immune systems as well as pregnant women. (Dangerous for unborn babies.) Symptoms: swollen lymph glands, muscle aches, headache, fever and eye inflammation. Making our sandpits safe for our kids.
HYGIENIC SANDPITS Sanitiser / Disinfectant Cat Repellant
KEEPS SANDPITS SAFE! Don’t let cats use your sandpit for a toilet Prevent infections from spreading Maintaining sandpits made easy!
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play areas + sustainable practice
continued from page 78 sustainability has become an area that receives increasing interest. Centres are embracing nature and educators are looking for innovative ways to teach young children about sustainability. A number of centres across the Central Coast have implemented many amazing projects. ‘Two centres leading the way with sustainability have worked with us through the Little Green Steps Program: Bright Start Preschool, Bateau Bay, and Parklands Community Preschool, Kariong,’ says Mrs Hargreaves. Bright Start Preschool started its sustainability journey in 2008, before the centre was built. During the establishment of the centre, the owner used the ‘Climbing Little Green Steps’ manual, and has continued to implement sustainable practices as the centre grows and flourishes. The centre is strongly focused on holistic sustainability, and encourages all staff and families to embrace the environmental messages that they promote and implement on a daily basis. One of the cornerstones of Bright Start’s environmental focus is its thriving natural outdoor play space. The children engage with the space daily, and are involved with feeding the worms, and planting and harvesting the vegetable garden, as well as composting and recycling. The centre also focuses on energy awareness, water conservation, the nearby natural bushland for a bush kindy program, recycling and fair-trade purchases. ‘We have supported [Bright Start] through our resource kits, audits and staff visits to help them continue to pursue their environmental goals,’ says Mrs Hargreaves. ‘This centre is in an amazing location, with a dedicated team that embeds sustainability into their
lives. Having won several state awards, this centre is a great example of how Little Green Steps can help to grow fantastic programs.’ Parklands Community Preschool has long had a dedicated team of educators and parents who have focused on sustainability in their service. They incorporate good waste management practices into their centre, which is one of the most important and effective ways to ensure that services are being run sustainably. In order for children to have a thorough understanding of the reasons that they are doing what they are doing, they have ownership over the process of moving towards sustainability. This ensures that they understand and appreciate the natural environment, as well as carrying this information and learning with them into adulthood – becoming stewards for the earth and its future. Parklands’ waste management system is one of simplicity, and is a perfect example that the councils use. The preschool uses the three-bin system available to commercial properties in the Wyong and Gosford local government areas for their waste collection. This is a great way to mimic what the children use at home, and transfer the learning between home and preschool. Each room has three small bins labelled with photos and examples of what can be put in each bin, including the colours of the larger bins put out for collection. The children participate in feeding lunch scraps to the worms, and worm wee is used on the gardens, and sold to parents. The preschool also has a compost bin for when their worm farms are full. To complement the children’s learning, the preschool strongly encourages families to incorporate waste-free lunches into their routines. The preschool has introduced waste audits, which they do before and after their ‘Nude Food Week’. Information is provided to parents to encourage them to think about waste avoidance. Parklands annually incorporates a recycling theme into classrooms through art, puzzles, sorting games, pictures, projects, books and general discussions. This extends outside with a strong philosophy incorporating recycled products into children’s activities and playground landscape wherever possible, and reusing old items in new ways.
Parklands Community Preschool using their ‘What a load of rubbish’ kit from Curly Tales Early Learning Resources (Mia Hughes, 2013).
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For further information about the Little Green Steps program, please contact Gosford City Council or Wyong Shire Council.
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Making childcare child’s play Here at IKEA, we love little ones as much as you do. That’s why IKEA’s children’s range has been designed around the findings of our extensive research on play. That means you can rest assured our products are safe, beneficial to children’s development and most importantly, a whole lot of fun! Sign up to IKEA BUSINESS and you can order and pay for your IKEA products from wherever you are and we’ll deliver them to your centre. Plus you’ll get access to a whole range of benefits to help you and your childcare business.
Sign up for free at IKEA.com.au/BUSINESS Join before 30 April 2014 and we’ll welcome you with a complimentary MÅLA pack valued at over $20*. Visit our YouTube page to view a short video on the MÅLA range and how it could help a child’s development at www.youtube.com/IKEAAUSTRALIA *Conditions apply. Refer to pages 12 and 13 forXmore information. *Conditions apply. Refer to pages X and for more information.
© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 2014